Coalescence
by ChronicLegCramp-Since'99
Summary: Living as a Turk, only three months since the death of his father, Vincent Valentine's life is about to change. Vincent/Lucrecia. Rating may change. I hope you enjoy :) ON HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

**Coalescence **

**A Final Fantasy VII Fanfic by ChronicLegCramp-Since'99**

Pairing: Vincent/Lucrecia

*Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to SquareEnix, respectively*

* * *

**Chapter I; Day 1**

Vincent Valentine stared, unflinching, along the length of his triple-barrel revolver, at his target; Cerberus was hard and scorching under his fingertips. It had proved to be an easy assignment for the Turk- track down and dispose of the traitor. The ex-Shinra analyst that had hacked into the company's confidential data files and attempted to use what was found there as leverage, scowled at him with a rare kind of bravado that Vincent had only seen once before. She was a woman; a twenty-something, with mousy brown hair that was coiled into a chignon, a thick fringe covering her forehead. She hadn't been fast enough; they were in her apartment within the only Shinra residence that was directly, adjacent to the company's main building. Her slanted, yellowy-green eyes were narrowed and it was impossible to tell whether she feared her, now inevitable, death or not. The Turk with his messy crow-black hair that hung just below his ears, and fell across his forehead and eyes, hadn't even been given the targets name. Even as he regarded her with a cool expression, he felt his resolve quake. She was a traitor, she was dangerous. And yet, with her kneeling at his feet, defiant to the very end, Vincent couldn't help but feel uneasy. She was unarmed. Sure, she had fought back at first- and had gained a split lip as a result. However, although she was a master of computers, whoever she was working for or with, had clearly, not bothered to train this girl, prepare her. Vincent wondered whether this was because they were amateurs or the girl before him was simply, dispensable. He felt growing sympathy for her either way.

"What are you going to do, pretty boy?" the woman taunted him and spat on his boot. "I can see the doubt in your eyes- have you ever killed a woman before? Could you?" the hair on the back of Vincent's neck prickled, but he held her gaze, steadily.

"I hope you understand that I have no choice," Vincent told her evenly, lowering his eyelids so that the expression within his reddish-brown orbs was obscured by his dark lashes.

"Fuck you!" the Turks face became steely, as he readied Cerberus.

"Save it for the afterlife," he returned, catching the spark of terror that ignited behind her cat-like eyes; she stayed deathly, silent. "Farewell." Vincent inhaled sharply, through his nose and pulled the trigger. The discarded target slumped to the floor, blood immediately pooling on the cold linoleum, around her head and dirtying her fair hair. Vincent's gun arm dropped to his side as he released the breath he'd been holding. Putting his weapon of choice back into the holster, beneath his navy, suit jacket, he paced his way out of the achingly, vacant apartment. He pressed a finger to his earpiece to report in.

"The targets been dealt with." Now all the low-rank Turk had to do was find a bar, where he could drown out the image of the twenty-something girl, who _had_ been scared. Fortunately, he was in central Midgar and he briskly headed down the street to his local. Actually it was the local for most Turks, when they were stationed here. Vincent preferred this bar to the downstairs den in Junon- Wayward had plenty more dark corners, relieving him of compulsory socialising. He passed a young, blond woman as he entered the establishment, who winked at him- all hot pink lips and black eyeliner. Vincent gave her a nod, but didn't pause as he began weaving his way to his usual booth, in the back left.

"Ain't seen _you_ in a while, Vincent," a brown haired man with three day old stubble along his jaw, stopped by the Turks table, notepad and pen poised. "You eatin' tonight?"

"Hey, Luther. Er, no- just the usual, thanks," Vincent sunk down in his seat, loosening his tie.

"Comin' up," Luther flashed a grin before disappearing back off to the bar, quietly whistling, off-tune to himself. Vincent leant his head back on the stiff leather, cushioning his spine and neck. He allowed his shadowed eyes to fall shut, as he waited for his drinks.

_'What a night…'_

"Here ya go, Vince," the person in question expertly hid his start at the man's voice, thanking him again as Luther placed three shot glasses down in front of him. He threw down the first vodka shot as Luther left him to it. In five seconds, he had finished off the two remaining ones and sighed, heavily. He let his thoughts wander, absently toying with one of the empty shot glasses. Since when had he felt like this after an assignment? It was true that he had only joined Shinra to stay close to his father, Doctor Grimoire Valentine, to protect him. But it had been three months now, since his fathers premature death- a heart attack- and perhaps it was time to admit there was nothing left for him here. He often dreamed of leaving Midgar, moving away to the isolated Nibelheim, or maybe the blissfully ignorant, town of Kalm. No; that wasn't far enough away from the toxic, polluted city. Vincent stapled his fingers at the bridge of his nose, closing his weary, eyes.

_'Like it would be that simple,'_

There was an unspoken knowledge among all Shinra employees, especially within old man Shinra's 'investigative bureau', that once you signed your soul away to President Shinra, there was no going back. Vincent Valentine's options were clear; live life forever on the run from the very Turks he associated himself with, or drown in the sinister depths of an empty existence, of reconnaissance and espionage- not to mention murder. The tall, slender man had a couple more drinks before continuing his usual routine, as every night; shower, stare at his pale, drawn, reflection in the mirror, brush his teeth, crawl into bed, stare at the ceiling all night, gripped by never-ending insomnia. That was his life. And it was about to change.

* * *

**_Thanks for reading! _**

**_Vincent valentine was the first FFVII character I fell in love with, so I thought I'd pay homage to that. This isnt exactly a re-write, its basically just Vincents story, partly according to me and partly what we've seen in-game. This is how I think Dirge of Cerberus should have been- an actual telling of Vincents story, rather than a plot set in the present with flashbacks from his life._**

**_Although I kinda think Vincent deserves better than Lucrecia, theres no doubting his encompassing love for her, so I hope I portray that well throughout the story..._**

**_Anyway, hope you enjoyed and continue to enjoy this fic :)_**

**_P.S. I DO have Dirge and I DID enjoy playing it- its just I'm more in love with the idea of it, than what was actually produced from that idea. :P_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter II; Day 2**

* * *

She was a Shinra scientist- that much was obvious. A white lab coat fell open to reveal a frilly, lilac blouse and deep purple, tiered skirt that stopped above her knee on one side. Vincent dragged his gaze away from her soft, cream legs, where it had lingered. On her feet were scarlet heels, a plain silver anklet shimmered in the artificial light. She laughed, a hand going to her mouth. But there was something in her downcast, chocolate brown eyes, which hinted at a fragile state of mind, not masked well enough. Her long brown hair was tied up into a ponytail with a thick yellow ribbon; she tucked her bangs behind her ears, as she listened to whatever her colleague was saying. Vincent could tell she was preoccupied though. An open, friendly smile was gracing her lips but her eyes were inverted. The lowly Turk lowered his eyes, as the woman and her friend moved away with their coffees, probably returning to their lab to work through lunch. Vincent himself, was sat alone at one of the tables within the cafeteria, a half-eaten sandwich in front of him and an empty espresso cup. He was on-call today, but so far nothing incredibly eventful had happened- both a relief and irritating. All he'd done was photocopy a batch of death threats and wandered aimlessly, around the Shinra building. Vincent was restless, more so now. He was plagued with an idea of sneaking down into the science department and learning more about the intelligent woman that had just caught his attention.

_'It isn't exactly a restricted area…but I can't just go walking into a lab…if I can get my hands on a lab coat and maybe a clipboard…'_

"Valentine," a thin white envelope was dumped onto his table. The Directors brunette, green-eyed secretary, Morgan Price, attempted to flick the back of Vincent's head but he caught his wrist in one swift, movement. "You're up," the black haired man watched the secretary leave with narrowed eyes, before reaching for his new order. Vincent memorised the two names and the address, before scrunching up the piece of paper and throwing it into a nearby bin, with the remains of his food.

* * *

A good thirty minutes later, Vincent was sprinting through the Midgar slums, Sector 8 to be precise, just passed LOVELESS Avenue. The targets were a pair of twin brothers. Well, not anymore; the Turk had already finished off one, back at their dingy, basement flat. Now, the short, scrawny man with the curly blond hair and freckles across his nose, reached a dead end. Vincent came to a stop, his breathing only slightly, laboured and gave his final target a measured look. The man- Noah or Nathaniel Manderson, Vincent hadn't known which was which- was panicking, cowering back against the wall.

"Stay back- you Shinra scum!" tears were streaming down his cheeks, most likely from fear and grief over the death of his twin. Vincent hadn't been told the crime that these two had committed, which he reckoned had been a conscious decision, rather than out of irrelevance. In which case, he knew not to ask the man how he had wronged the Electric Power Company- he wouldn't want to hear the answer: that they had done nothing but bad-mouth Midgar's most powerful inhabitant.

"Calm down," Vincent instructed the man falling apart in front of him.

"I said stay back! Murderer!" the man shouted, turning his back on the Turk and pressing his fists to his eyes.

"This will be over soon," Vincent told him quietly, aiming Cerberus roughly where he knew his heart should be; the man let out a coarse laugh.

"You think I should thank you. Don't you?!" his voice shook with rage as he spun to face the cool, detached killer. Vincent didn't speak, simply held the blonds amber glare. "You're all the same- President Shinra, the Turks, SOLDIER- you all walk around, acting like gods, but one day- one day, you're gonna be the one staring down the end of a barrel." The man spat, voice raw with emotion. Vincent closed his eyes and took the shot.

"Farewell," he said under his breath, replacing his gun. The man with the curly blond hair pasted to his face, sunk to his knees, blood gurgling at the back of his throat and pouring endlessly, from his chest.

"Noah…" he choked out before his body hit the ground. Vincent lowered his head, hair falling over his eyes.

_'How did I get here…?'_

A picture of the scientist with the vulnerable eyes and gentle smile, fluttered to the forefront of his mind. It softened his heart and smothered him with guilt, in equal measures. As he started making his way back through Sector 8, he imagined laying his head in her lap, sighing in the feeling of her running her square-tipped fingers through his dark locks. The corners of his lips quirked up, as he shook his head. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, bemusedly, letting his mind cloud with thoughts of the beautiful woman. He held no hope of getting to know her better; he, almost willingly, accepted that fact. But he was intrigued by her weakly crafted, façade and felt compelled to find the cause of her melancholy and eliminate it. He wanted to protect her…Vincent frowned mildly, rolling his shoulders. It was strange, even for him- who was a natural born, loner- to feel protective of someone he didn't know a thing about.

_'Maybe that's not such a bad thing…'_

An image of his father came to his mind then; an icy claw gripped his heart and he automatically pulled his jacket closer. Something needed to change, he knew, but not for the first time since his father passed on, Vincent felt completely alone in his turmoil. He exhaled, fixing his reddish brown eyes straight ahead and forced all doubt and loneliness to the back of his mind. He would make his father proud of him and he would watch over the young scientist; even if it killed him.

* * *

_Vincent warily opened his reddish brown eyes. He didn't know where he was or even how he'd come to be there. It was a vast piece of lush, vibrant land and the sun shone down pleasantly, upon his face, from a cloudless sky. A warm breeze stirred his crow-black hair, which was oddly, heavy and stretched past his shoulders; he caught a lock between his fingers, a frown crossing his face. The landscape surrounding him was completely open and a rocky stream flowed soothingly, somewhere to his right. And then in the blink of an eye, the Turk was no longer alone; he tensed, hand instinctively going for Cerberus. But it came away empty- not only was his gun missing, but his clothes as well. There were needles stuck in his arms and sensors were all over his body, though none of them were connected to any visible, machines. Even as he felt his skin heat up along his cheekbones, he ripped the thick needles from his flesh, set his jaw and turned to confront the stranger._

_"Who are you-?" Vincent's solid voice broke off, eyes widening, infinitesimally. She stood four yards away, swathed in an ivory dress that clung to the bump extending from her torso. At first, the black haired man thought it was his mother, despite the fact that she was no longer living and her hair had been much darker. When the woman raised her head however, Vincent was hit by recognition as well as deeper confusion. "It's…you…" he glanced down to see that he was now clad in buckle-fastened, black leather. His head shot up again and she was directly in front of him; soft brown hair, loose and fanning out around her body, and chocolate brown eyes laughing at him. She clutched protectively at her protruding belly, looking up at him, before she placed a hand on his chest, over his heart and pushed. The grassy floor suddenly went out from underneath him and he was falling. The blockage in the back of his throat prevented him from uttering a sound, as he frantically groped upwards, only to become mystified by a clawed, golden gauntlet, encasing his left hand and forearm._

_"What in Gaia's going on?" he muttered as the scenery flipped and all he could see now was the colour red. Sweat had beaded on his forehead and was making paths downwards, over his temples. His eyes searched diligently, for a cleft he could grip- anything he could use to stop himself from falling. No such luck; he continued to free-fall, never reaching a bottom to the blood-red pit. And then he was opening his eyes again, though he didn't remember ever closing them. This time he knew exactly where he was. And he wished he didn't. He was a kid again, twelve years old, and was at his mother's grave. He wore a black and white suit- the same he'd worn to the funeral, not a month before- that was too big for him. His dark, unruly hair only just scraped his awkward, pre-teen shoulders and the hem of his trousers was mud caked. He barely noticed let alone cared about these little details. His mind was focused on the task of repeatedly, tracing the letters of his mother's name, engraved on the tombstone, with his index finger._

_"Vincent," he vaguely, registered his father come up behind him, tone distant. "It's time to go." Vincent's finger stopped on the tip of the 'l' in their shared surname. A firm but comforting hand landed on his shoulder and he released a quiet breath. His palm lingered a moment on the smooth, cold stone, before he got to his feet, lifted his chin and walked away, a picture of strength within a tiny frame._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter III; Day 3**

* * *

There was an aggressive siren going off in the Turks ears, biting into his gradually wakening, conscious. Vincent's hand flew out, knocking the object emanating the insistent drone, to the floor. He groaned even as the noise stuttered and came to a halt. He'd only gotten to sleep around three-thirty and even then, his rest had been disrupted with disturbing dreams and unwanted memories. Vincent threw the covers back and swung his legs over the side of the bed. It was six-twenty-two; he'd obviously slept through his alarm. The sleep deprived Turk sat for a minute, stifling a yawn and slowly rubbing at his eyes.

"I need coffee…" he mumbled to himself, getting up and making his way to the adjoining bathroom. After flushing and rinsing his hands, Vincent started the hot water running in his shower. He stepped out of his black boxers, grabbed the towel from the radiator and took it into the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Within fifteen minutes, he'd washed, dried off and now sat in his kitchenette, in fresh underwear, his navy suit trousers and a towel around his neck. He had already gulped down one mug of black coffee, with three teaspoons of sugar stirred in and was starting on a second. His mobile rang then, vibrating loudly on the hard, plastic countertop.

"Valentine."

"Pack your things," a familiar voice told him, tone bored.

"What?" Vincent's eyebrows pulled together, as he stared down into his steaming drink, brown eyes tired.

"You leave on a new assignment, as soon as you get in," Morgan replied, as Vincent cupped the side of his neck. "Congratulations. You've just moved up a rank, Valentine."

"Where are they sending me?" he asked, all business as he tugged the towel from off his shoulders.

"Nibelheim. A helicopter's waiting for you, so make it quick," the call ended, but Vincent was already heading for his bedroom.

_'This will be interesting…'_

* * *

When Vincent Valentine exited the emergency stairwell- that ran all the way from the bottom to the top of the Shinra building- he was met by a mild expression within emerald eyes. The nineteen year old secretary of the Director, nodded at the Turk, an Addidas rucksack slung on his back; his wavy, brunette hair was whipping around his face, as a result of the revolving propeller of the helicopter he stood by.

"Come to see me off?" Vincent allowed himself a smirk as he stopped beside the boy.

"Nope," Morgan's eyes flashed with annoyance. "I'm to accompany you." Vincent's eyebrow quirked up at that.

"You?"

"I'll be reporting to the Director on how our assignments going," he replied, waving a dismissive hand.

"Our?" Vincent repeated, giving the brunette a look. "Some promotion…"

"It'll be fun," Morgan said dryly, though he attempted to reach up and ruffle the older mans already wind-swept hair; Vincent side stepped him and climbed into the back of the copter, dropping his black, duffel bag at his feet. The brunette joined him, sliding the door closed after them. The Turk took a seat on the padded bench and strapped himself in; the secretary followed suit.

"You've never ridden one of these before, have you?" Vincent guessed, clocking his companion fidgeting with the end of his tie.

"My job is office-based," Morgan answered, clasping his hands in his lap and trying to hide his nerves.

"You better not suffer from motion-sickness…"

* * *

The journey to Nibel was a tiring one and the sun was setting by the time they arrived, reds and pinks streaking across the sky. Morgan had briefed the Turk on his mission; he was to ensure the safety and protection of a group of scientists, who were of great importance and value to Shinra. Vincent wasn't told much about the scientists themselves, but he was under obligation to take a bullet for them, should the situation call for it. They were hauled up in a mansion on the outskirts of the town, having been escorted there the previous week; only President Shinra, the Turks Director, Morgan and Vincent knew of their location. Once he had been told all he needed to know, the black haired man had sat silently, with his head bowed and his arms crossed, for the rest of the ride. Thankfully, the brunette hadn't thrown up, though he did look immensely relieved when they landed.

"Wow, we really are in the middle of nowhere…" Morgan stated, raising his eyebrows at the scenery around them. They were in a field five minutes from the town, and the land was divided by a nearby river. Vincent frowned, the far away memory of a dream, tugging at his mind.

"Lets go." He said, swinging his bag over his shoulder and heading in the direction of Nibelheim. He could just make out its entrance- a worn path beneath a wooden arch. From what he could see, it looked more like a village than a town- and a miniscule one at that.

"Valentine!" the Turk spun at the brunette's voice- only to realise he'd misjudged exasperation for urgency. Morgan was finding it hard keeping up, which was emphasised by the full pout on his lips.

"Need a break?" Vincent asked and was instantly rewarded with a green glare. "Was just asking…" the Turk started to shrug, before something spiked his senses and he quickly shoved his companion out of the way. He took Cerberus in hand, readying himself. The valron that had been about to attack Morgan, switched targets and circled Vincent overhead. The Turk fired, clipping one of the bird's wings; enraged, it attempted a lop-sided dive at the black haired man, who threw himself to the side last-minute, and shot the valron through the back of its skull. Blood erupted from the wound and the flying enemy crashed to the ground with an ear-piercing screech. Vincent stayed tensed for a couple breaths, before he replaced his weapon and turned to the secretary. Morgan was staring at the motionless bird, a little wide-eyed, but he seemed more surprised than scared.

"You alright?" the boys dazed eyes moved slowly to Vincent.

"Uh…yeah. Yes- thank you…" Morgan straightened the straps of his rucksack.

"No problem. We better get going, we might have attracted more attention," the Turk replied, already turning back to the village. The young brunette hung back a moment, brushing a wavy strand behind his ear, as he watched Vincent go. "Come on, Price," the older man called over his shoulder; Morgan inhaled through his nose and hurried after his companion.

* * *

Vincent had been right. The 'town' seemed no bigger than a campsite, let alone a village. The two Shinra employees glanced about themselves with questionable looks on their faces. Vincent seemed to be frowning and smiling at the same time, whereas Morgan looked blank, eyes flat. To the left were three buildings: an Inn, the general- and only- store and a bistro. To the right was an arc of five houses, ranging in size. And in the middle was a rickety well, made of planks of lumber. All the surrounding structures were old-fashioned in style and looked like they'd been standing for centuries. In short, Nibelheim was nothing like Midgar. Vincent, through his distraction, spotted a path to the far left, past the bistro.

"That must lead to the mansion," he said, pointing it out to his companion. They exchanged a nod and started for the opening, ignoring the twitching curtains and deathly, quiet atmosphere. The winding trail was hilled and seemed to go on forever, though in reality, it only took them about ten minutes to walk. They came to a fork in the dusty path, but there was no doubt they'd reached their destination. The promised mansion was double the size of the entire village and just as conventional. Looking up at the monstrosity however, Vincent felt a wave of uneasiness. He didn't speak as they slipped through the black, cast-iron gates, which screamed eerily, in protest and approached the front door. When he just stood there, staring unblinking, at the door in front of them, Morgan sighed loudly, and stepped forward to pound the tarnished knocker against the oak three times. The black haired Turk braced himself, sliding his hand into his suit jacket and rested it on the cool metal of his revolver; the brunette glanced sideways at him but said nothing. After what felt like an eternity, the door cracked open and a figure in glasses and a white lab coat faced them.

"It's about time you got here, boy."

* * *

On entering the mansion the Turk and the secretary shared a look. It may have been grand-sized but it was more than lacking in grandeur. It was dark, although there were plenty of sconces spread around the foyer walls. A set of stairs curved up on one side, to a railed landing. Vincent noted two doors on either sides of the room and one straight ahead.

"Well this is…great place you have here," Morgan said eventually, looking dubious.

"Fascinating observation." Vincent turned back to the scientist who had so 'nicely' greeted them. The man's black hair was tied tightly, at the nape of his neck, a grey strand here and there. Small, round glasses sat high up on his nose, a barrier to his obsidian eyes. He was clearly in his late thirties- maybe even early forties- which was emphasised by the wrinkles on his forehead and beneath his eyes; his features were set in a scowl.

"And you are…?" the Turk inquired, tensing further when the scientists gaze flitted to him.

"Professor Hojo. I'm surprised you failed to remember the names of the people whose protection you've been charged with." His tone was condescending and his voice was annoyingly high-pitched- or so Vincent thought. A muscle twitched in the Turks jaw, though he remained expressionless.

"This is Vincent Valentine," Morgan interjected. "And I'm Morgan Price, the-"

"Yes, yes, that's quite enough." Hojo said, cutting him off. "I'm extremely busy, so if you would just follow me, I'm sure Dr Crescent is due a break from twiddling her thumbs down in that laboratory of hers." The professor had already begun climbing the stairs. Vincent offered Morgan a nudge of his shoulder, seeing the brunettes balled fists and partially, suppressed pout. They walked behind the hunched professor in silence, as they headed to the right, passing through an L-shaped corridor, an office and into a library.

"Didn't you say the labs were _down_stairs?" Morgan asked, mildly. Hojo didn't respond, simply pulled a leather-bound, book halfway out of its shelf. Vincent's lips pulled up into a small, crooked smile; not a second later, a piece of wall to the left, slid sideways and torchlight poured onto the library floor.

"Very clever," Vincent muttered.

"And people are always saying that Turks are nothing but single-minded, animals." Hojo replied, giving Vincent a grotesque smirk, before stepping through the gap.

"He's friendly, isn't he?" Morgan said under his breath, tucking his wavy hair behind his ears. Vincent nodded vaguely, and slipped through into what could now be seen, was a narrow, spiral staircase. Lanterns lined the wall, but even with the light, the Turks spine prickled. It was easy to tell when they passed under ground by the brick exterior, which had gone from faintly dusty, to moist and grimy. Morgan tripped twice; the second time he almost sent Vincent tumbling.

"Shit, sorry," he whispered as the Turk steadied him, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Hojo had paused and was looking up at the secretary in disgust. "My apologies, Professor," the older man turned and continued the descent.

"Remind me why the Director thought you coming, was a good idea," Vincent said quietly, though not unkindly, as they neared the basement.

"I'm not completely useless," Morgan whispered back, sounding miffed; Vincent got the impression his companion was pouting again and shook his head.

"Come on, I haven't got all night." Hojo's clipped tone bounced off the walls of the wide, tunnel they now traversed through.

"I'm sure you haven't," Vincent replied evenly, though his reddish-brown eyes had narrowed.

"My, you _do_ have an insolent tongue, don't you?" the professor stated, sounding colossally, superior.

"The way I speak is irrelevant to this assignment," the Turk returned, as they passed by a padlocked door on their left; something about the middle-aged scientist irked him and he couldn't seem to help himself. Hojo spun around then, so quickly that Vincent didn't register the hand that rose and cracked him across the face. Hojo's knuckles connected with his cheekbone. Nails digging into his palms, he slowly turned his murderous gaze to the older man.

"Professor! That was a bit harsh wasn't it?" Morgan sounded shocked, standing behind Vincent's left shoulder. Hojo split a filthy look between them and unlocked the door they had arrived at.

"You work for me now." The professor said, hand on the door handle. "Here you are nothing but a glorified bodyguard, is that clear, boy?"

"Crystal." Vincent answered through gritted teeth, still glaring. Hojo disappeared through the door without another word; the Turk sensed Morgan let out a breath.

"Vincent…?" the brunette said, hesitantly.

"Let's go, Morgan." Was all the Turks response.

* * *

Beyond the door was a square room with three more doors. Vincent suspected a labyrinth. And he was right. The two men followed the self-proclaimed genius, falling into a claustrophobic, quiet. Vincent memorised the route they took and shot Hojo's back daggers of rage, simultaneously. Morgan on the other hand, paid their surroundings no attention, merely glancing between Hojo and Vincent every so often. Finally, they came through a metal door and into a lab. It was clinically clean, the sterile air making the Turks nose itch. There were two human-sized, test tubes to the right, a long lab table in the centre with a range of equipment set up on it, and to the left was a computer station. Vincent froze, his eyes fixed on the soft, brown ponytail, wrapped in yellow ribbon.

"Dr Crescent." Hojo barked once before shuffling back out of the door, which slammed behind him; Morgan jumped a little, but the Turk barely heard it. The woman- Dr Crescent- had turned and risen to her feet. She smiled at the two men expectantly, eyes curious. Vincent hastily, schooled his features and stepped forward.

"Vincent Valentine reporting for duty, ma'am," chocolate brown eyes met reddish brown ones.

"No…" the woman breathed, eyes wide with something not entirely, unlike fear. Vincent raised an eyebrow, glancing at Morgan who was looking at the scientist like she was crazy.

"Excuse me…?" the black haired man prompted, attempting to catch the emotions that were flying across her face.

"…why would they send…?"

Morgan cleared his throat. "I'm Morgan Price, secretary of the Turks Director," he went just as unheard as Vincent, who had started to feel uncomfortable.

"I've been assigned your protection," he tried again, as she gradually looked up.

"Oh, uh, I apologise- it's just that, this is the first time I have met anyone from the Turks," her hands flailed a bit; Vincent nodded slowly, going along with the blatant lie. "Lucrecia Crescent. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr Valentine."

* * *

Vincent Valentine didn't really know what he'd expected of the scientist with the poorly guarded, brown eyes. Though now he assumed that any other scientist he was to meet here at Shinra Manor- as they'd come to refer to it as- would have some sort of peculiarity to them. Perhaps it was a result of being cooped up in isolated laboratories day in, day out. Dr. Crescent had led them back upstairs and down into the foyer, pausing between two doors opposite each other, on the right side of the mansion. She hadn't spoken much, seemingly avoiding eye-contact with the black haired Turk.

"Here are your rooms. You both must be tired from your journey…" Vincent absently, scanned her features, but found that she'd masked them better during their return from the basement. She was worrying her bottom lip ever so slightly; Vincent looked away.

"Thank you, Doctor," Morgan said, breaking the awkward silence, before going for the door nearest to him. "I better report in…" he hesitated for a second, giving Vincent a strange look, and then closed the door. The Turk turned back to Dr. Crescent, who had taken a step back. She was picking at her cuticles and staring at the ground; some of her brown hair had fallen forward, over her left shoulder.

"Are we to feed ourselves?" the black haired man asked, startling her out of her head.

"We have servants- they stay at the Inn, in town. But they don't usually cook us dinner- we scientists, tend to work through mealtimes, so they prepare us spreads in the drawing room and if we are hungry, we'll take some food down with us to the labs…" she trailed off, realising she was babbling, and a nervous smile- tiny, but a smile nonetheless- came to her face.

"You don't get out much, do you?" Vincent took a step towards her without thinking, and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. She went still, her cheeks reddening as she looked up at him. "Well, goodnight, Dr. Crescent," he murmured, withdrawing swiftly, and left her standing in the hall, uncertain.

* * *

Vincent let his navy, suit jacket drop to the floor, loosening his tie as he kicked off his combat boots. His duffel bag was still by the front door, where he'd left it earlier, but he didn't care about it right now. His bones were tired, his muscles aching, but he wasn't hungry, so he allowed himself to collapse onto the single bed and close his heavy-lidded, eyes. Sleep didn't come.

After lying down for an hour, mind replaying the day's events on a loop- full of mad old professors and odd, female scientists, whose faces held expressions like the end was nigh- the Turk rolled to his feet. The wooden-slatted floor was freezing through Vincent's socks and he shoved his feet back into his boots, before retrieving his bag from the entry. As he straightened up, he sensed someone's presence. But when he cast his vigilant eyes about the large space, he was completely alone. He frowned, remaining tense as he padded back to his room, ears alert for even the faintest sound; but nothing. He glanced around once more, before shutting the door firmly behind him. He left his boots next to the door and perched on a worn, wing-backed chair in the corner. Taking out a pair of black jeans, a dark blue t-shirt and a grey, v-neck jumper from his bag, he changed and pulled on a second layer of socks. And then he halted; there wasn't anywhere he particularly wanted to go.

_'The pub? No, best to keep away from the town; I don't think they're too happy we're here…'_

The Turk sighed, shaking his head. A few minutes pacing, later, Vincent headed cautiously, through a door on the left side of the mansion, where he was sure Dr. Crescent had pointed out, was the drawing room. He found himself in a gloomy hallway with a door at the end. He shrugged, starting towards it, eyes leaping from painting to painting, on the dark green walls.

_'Landscape…mythical beast…landscape…mythical beast…'_

The Turk's focus shifted to the adjoining room he had arrived at, where he could just make out someone humming quietly, within. He pushed the door open slowly, placing just one foot into the room. It was almost as empty as the foyer; there was a grand piano immediately to the right, which was coated in dust and dirt, a chaise longue against the left wall and a rectangular table and chairs set up, in the far back. Dr. Crescent had been lying across the sofa on her back, one arm dangling, before she heard Vincent's cough and sat up ramrod-straight. He couldn't see her face, though she appeared to be wiping her eyes.

"Are you…alright?" the Turk asked, cutting to the chase; the brown haired woman nodded, vigorously.

"Yes I am fine thank you," she said in one breath, before she altered her position and only then registered who it was she was talking to. "Oh…Mr. Valentine…"

"You don't look fine," Vincent commented sceptically, trying to drown out the suspicion in the back of his mind, that he was the reason for her sadness. "Did something happen?"

"I was…I had this…friend, who used to play the piano for me, but he's…gone now…" she admitted, eyes still glistening as they looked down at her hands, folded in her lap.

"A lover?" Vincent said, with the hint of a smile; however deep down he was surprised to find that he hoped she said no. He regretted ever speaking.

"No! Absolutely not! He was like…a father to me," she protested hotly, her cheeks flaming. Vincent raised his hands as if in surrender.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Crescent," his words were sincere, as he moved further into the room and closer to her. Instead of accepting his apology, her face crumpled and she bowed her head. The door beside the dining table opened then, and Hojo emerged from a dark corridor. He stopped, looking between his fellow scientist and the Turk, with a sneer growing on his warped face.

"I see you're harassing Dr. Crescent now." He said, harsh eyes landing on Vincent, who felt his hands fist at his sides. "I have business to discuss with the girl, so be gone." Vincent didn't move, gaze briefly, locking with Dr. Crescents. His eyebrows furrowed; her eyes seemed to be begging him to stay at the same time as willing him to leave and disappear altogether.

"Goodnight, Doctor…I mean, Mr. Valentine," she offered eventually, with a broken smile.

"I said be gone, _boy_." The decrepit, old professor snarled, shuffling over to the chaise longue and clamping his hand down on the woman's shoulder. Dr. Crescent looked momentarily ill. The Turk finally let out a breath through flared nostrils and exited the way he came.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter IV; Day 4**

* * *

The Turk with the messy, crow-black hair and reddish brown eyes had a strenuous, first day at Shinra Manor. He'd awoken at six o'clock in the morning, from a nightmare, in which he'd been trapped in a coffin, shouting for help until his lungs were sore; he wasn't a fan of small spaces. From then on, he'd all but dragged himself through the day, walking the mansions perimeter and checking in and out of each room within, once an hour. He spent the rest of his time studiously, avoiding Hojo, in the safe haven that was Dr. Crescents laboratory, not entirely bored out of his mind. Morgan had taken a trip up to the mako reactor nestled amongst Mount Nibel, with the only other scientist in hiding, Professor Gast Faremis. Vincent hadn't met him yet, but apparently he seemed to be the complete opposite of Hojo. Needless to say, Vincent wasn't worried about meeting that particular scientist, though he was curious.

It was two in the afternoon now, and the Turk returned downstairs from his hourly, circuit. He took up his position once again, leaning against a wall, arms folded, watching Dr. Crescent in his peripheral vision. He found himself immediately distracted in the efficient, grace of her hands, the absent tilt to her head and the brown hair falling in waves, down her back, secured at the top by the same lemon, yellow ribbon, as always. He'd searched her face for the subtlest change throughout the day, after leaving her alone with Hojo the night before, but all he saw was fierce determination and flawless concentration; he doubted she even knew he was there. She was stood at her computer station, looking at the screen and tapping her chin in thought. Vincent hesitated only slightly, before moving to stand behind her, reading over her shoulder.

"What are you working on?" he asked, with the sudden impulse to be noticed. Dr. Crescent jumped and glanced back at him, blood rushing to her face. He was so close that his breath had stirred her hair and he backed up a step.

"Oh, it's just my thesis…" she said quickly, biting her lip and looking away from him.

"I can't understand a word of it," the black haired man attempted to joke, although it was true.

"Yes. Well, that's what I'm trying to fix," she replied, with a huff and sat down in her chair. Vincent smirked, hooking his thumbs into the pockets of his navy, suit trousers. "Have you eaten today, Mr. Valentine?" she asked rather randomly, as she eyed his slender frame.

"Have you?" he returned, raising an eyebrow. Dr. Crescent rolled her chocolate brown eyes and got back to her feet.

"I'm not the one who looks like I haven't eaten, nor slept, in the past ten days," her forehead creased as if she were actually concerned about him. "You should take better care of yourself…" she placed a hand on his arm for a moment, before continuing past, heading for a door. Vincent lingered briefly, unsure of both himself and of the scientist. She was acting like she knew him, after only one night and half a day. He couldn't work her out, though he was absolutely positive that there was something she wasn't saying. He followed her without a word, wondering how she'd become such a mystery. Perhaps a death- she had mentioned she'd had a friend who was no longer here…but whether she meant he was dead or not was debatable…Vincent stopped; he was thinking like a Turk. Dr. Crescent wasn't someone Vincent was going to pry into the private life of, he simply wanted to get to know her- he felt a connection somehow.

_'…And I want her…' _

A blush crept along his cheekbones then, to his embarrassment. Fortunately, the brown haired woman wasn't looking at him, but at the ground. His hair fell over his right eye, obscuring her from view.

* * *

When they reached the drawing room, the dining table was covered in several plates, piled high with food. There was also a stack of Tupperware boxes; Vincent hid a smile at the proud look on Dr. Crescent's face. Cucumber, cheese, tuna and ham sandwiches. Pork pies, sausage rolls and steak bakes. Banora white apples with their purple skin, pears, bananas and plums. Packets of crisps, chocolate bars, Kendal cakes and Nutri-grain bars…

"I hope Shinra are paying your servants well," Vincent said, as he took in the over-generous spread in front of them. Dr. Crescent gave him the first, whole-hearted smile he'd seen since he'd arrived in Nibelheim; it was a toothy smile, verging on a grin.

"You mean _our_ servants. And I'm sure they are, Mr. Valentine," she replied happily, picking up a plastic box and placing a pear inside. Vincent did the same, only putting a Kendal cake in his. "Would you like a drink…?" the Turk followed her gaze to a trolley to the right, by the door that opened onto the back corridor. It carried two large bottles of fizzy drink- Pepsi and orange Tango- as well as two bottles of wine- red and white. Vincent shook his head; he'd barely had a chicken wrap the previous day, which Morgan had given him during the copter ride, and if he was honest, he felt a little sick at the sight of so much food. But he was a Valentine, and Valentines did not waste.

"Would you join me for a glass of wine?" he asked Dr. Crescent, who was poised, patiently by the drinks.

"Oh, I don't know…I don't drink alcohol, I mean I've never…" she began, picking at her cuticles, which Vincent had seen her do the night before. "I probably wouldn't like it," she made a face at him.

"But if you don't try it, you wont know," Vincent pointed out, coming closer to the trolley. His arm brushed once against hers; she flinched and dropped the glass she'd been holding. The Turk listened as it smashed, staring at Dr. Crescent. She flushed and turned away.

_'It _is_ me she has a problem with…'_

Silently, he poured out two glasses of red wine, ignoring the broken glass at their feet. "Here,"

The brown haired woman looked back at him, face clearing when she saw the drink he was offering her. She took it and slowly, brought it to her lips, taking a dainty sip. Vincent didn't wait to hear her verdict, just set his jaw and walked out of the room, wine in hand and leaving his food on the table. If she wasn't happy about him being there, she could request a different Turk to take his place, he thought. But in the meantime, he would stay out of her way. Easily done…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter V; Day 5**

* * *

The next day was worse and better. Vincent spent his day patrolling, avoiding Dr. Crescent's laboratory and had snuck into Hojo's lab a couple times. He'd also met Professor Gast while passing in the basement. The rumours of him being completely different from Hojo were true; from what Vincent had gathered, he was good natured and a little fatherly, in a sense. He'd even asked after Morgan, who he'd seemingly, taken a shine to. The Turk hadn't seen the secretary himself, since the previous morning, though he wasn't especially bothered. Being away from Shinra and Midgar, Vincent felt like he could finally breathe. And seeing his Directors secretary would only remind him that this was an assignment and he'd be returning to the polluted city once it ended.

Any pride or self-satisfaction the black haired man had been harbouring from successfully, infiltrating Hojo's laboratory more than once, was quickly shot down by a soft voice and the news that the despicable professor had left early, that morning and had been gone all day. Vincent stiffened in the professor's wheelie chair, lowering his feet from where they'd been propped up on the desk.

"What are you doing in Professor Hojo's lab, Mr. Valentine?"

"What are _you_ doing in here? You obviously weren't looking for Hojo," the Turk returned, getting up and straightening his suit.

"I wasn't…I was looking for you…" Vincent peeked over his shoulder at her, a quizzical expression on his face. Secretly, he was glad to hear that, not that he would admit it to himself, or anyone else for that matter. Dr. Crescents hair was uncharacteristically, loose, her yellow ribbon wrapped around her head, acting as an Alice-band. Her lengthy, brown locks swirled around her back and shoulders. Vincent suppressed a sigh as he turned towards her. Instead of a blouse and skirt, she wore a white shirt beneath a snug, toffee-coloured jumper, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and her legs were clad in black, suit trousers. There was a biro behind her left ear, which she'd probably forgotten about.

"You're not wearing your lab coat," Vincent stated, raising his unreadable gaze to hers. "I assumed you were required to wear it at all times," Dr. Crescent shot him a perplexed look; the Turks composure broke and he let out a low chuckle.

"You are different," the scientist said thoughtfully, almost to herself.

"Different from whom?" Vincent asked, taking a hesitant step closer. Her cheeks burned, as she shook her hands randomly, out in front of her.

"No one, I was just…I mean, I…I'm sorry,"

"For what?" the black haired man stilled his legs; he had been subconsciously, drifting towards the woman.

"It doesn't matter…" Dr. Crescent sighed, clasping her hands together and looking at her feet.

"So…why were you looking for me?" Vincent said, swiftly changing the subject. "Everything alright?"

"Oh, yes, I was just- I wanted to tell you that I…" the brown haired woman trailed off, a frown of concentration forming on her face. She tapped her chin for a few seconds, while the Turk smiled at her, patiently. "Oh that's right! The wine- I liked it,"

"You wanted to tell me you liked the wine?" Vincent clarified, rubbing the side of his neck, hair falling into his eyes.

"Yes…you said I'd never know if I didn't try it and well, it was a little distasteful at first, but after a while it grew on me…it really isn't all that bad…" she smiled peaceably at him, waiting.

"Uh, well, that's good then…" Dr. Crescents smile wavered and she bit her lip, big, chocolate brown eyes, looking up at the Turk; he wiped away a smile with his hand. "Come on, we don't want Hojo to find us in here, or we'll end up as part of his next ingenious experiment," he guided her to the door, hand pressed lightly to the small of her back; she seemed to be caught up in her disappointment and she didn't shrug away from him.

"I'll have you know, that Professor Hojo is highly regarded and influential, within the Shinra Science Department…" there wasn't much conviction in her voice, though Vincent wasn't sure whether that was due to her distraction or something else.

"Of course, he's the very picture of good manners and etiquette," Vincent replied darkly, as they made their way through the maze-like basement. "Still, we can continue this conversation on Hojo's many virtues upstairs, with a glass of wine, cant we?" Dr. Crescent's head shot up as she glanced over at the Turk, with a grateful look.

"Yes. I'd like that,"

* * *

Vincent watched the brown haired woman from over the rim of his glass; she was cupping her drink where it rested in her lap, staring off into space, with a reminiscent expression in her eyes. She was sat on the chaise longue, across from the Turk, who was leaning back against the end of the newly-cleaned, piano. Dr. Crescent fingered the pen still tucked behind her ear, as she took a sip of wine and ran her tongue over her top lip, absently. Vincent dropped his eyes to the ground, feeling blood rise high, on his cheeks.

"Do you have any family, Mr. Valentine?" her tone was polite but her voice was almost reluctant.

"No. How about you?" the black haired mans voice was emotionless, his features clear as glass. A sympathetic smile graced the scientist's lips, though Vincent sensed something hiding underneath it.

"No one who can remember me beyond a distant dream, I imagine," she told him, with a delicate shrug. "Do you miss your family?"

"What makes you think I had one to begin with?" he countered, raising a fine, dark eyebrow and turning his reddish-brown eyes up to hers once again.

"I don't- I mean, I…" she stumbled over her words, becoming flustered, fast. "…Your father was well known for his work…" she finished eventually, breaking eye contact. "I respected him, admired him, greatly," there was an awkward silence.

"Did you meet him?" Vincent asked very quietly, voice suspiciously controlled. Dr. Crescent swallowed; the Turk could see her hands trembling, the red liquid in her glass, visibly shaking.

"No…" she whispered, barely audible. There was another pause, in which Vincent checked the time on the old-fashioned clock on the wall.

"I better go. It's time for my last patrol of the day…" he drained the dregs of his wine and sat the glass down on the dining table.

"Yes, of course," Dr. Crescent stood hastily, clutching her drink. "See you…"

"Night, Doctor,"

"Mr. Valentine?!" the person in question stopped, hand on the doorknob. The scientist took an unsteady step forward. "Be careful…"

"I will," the Turk said, smiling gently at her. "…Lucrecia."

* * *

Despite the Turks conflicted feelings for Dr. Lucrecia Crescent, he found himself slipping into the realm of dreams fairly, easily that night. Not that that was a good thing. Vincent tossed and turned and thrashed about, his quilt twisting and tangling around his bare legs. Beads of sweat were collecting on the back of his neck and along the length of his spine.

_In the dream, he was locked in a coffin again; he wore only a pair of dark red boxers and his crow-black hair was longer, strands getting trapped between his back and the floor of the cushioned box, he was stuck in._

_"Get me the hell out of here!" his voice sounded faded and unusually deep, as he pounded his fists and arms against the lid, relentlessly. The skin across his knuckles was bruised and grazed and bleeding. The Turks vision wasn't a hundred percent either- it kept blurring and refocusing like the lens of a digital camera. "Someone- anyone!" he sank back down, his breathing bordering on hyperventilating. His eyelids fluttered with fatigue, as he turned his head from side to side, trying to get enough oxygen into his lungs…Vincent's gaze snapped to his right. He had heard something- a murmur of a voice- coming closer and closer. He placed a strangely pale, hand to the side of the coffin._

_"…cent…Vin…nt…awa…ken…"_

_The black haired man fought to stay conscious, pressing his cheek to the box, next to his hand and concentrating on the soft tones, sifting in fragments, through it. "H-help…me…" his words stuttered and slurred, his vision spinning uncontrollably. Everything flashed bright red._

_"Vincent!"_

* * *

Vincent Valentine unsteadily, bolted upright, the lethargy conjured up within the nightmare, still lingering. He inhaled and exhaled through his nose, trying to calm his heart rate; he covered his eyes with a hand, attempting to smother the hysteria which had built up inside of him. Then the sound of feet in the foyer reached his ears and grabbed his attention. The Turk stealthily got out of bed, pulled on a pair of jeans from the floor and taking Cerberus in hand crept into the hall.

"Excellent…perfect for…" Someone was muttering under their breath, and making their way up to the second floor. Vincent flattened against the wall and cautiously, leaned around the corner. "…samples…will certainly be a success…" the Turk let out the breath he'd been holding, about to retreat, but something stopped him. Hojo had only just returned and at such a late hour- it was ten-past-two in the morning, after all- if that wasn't suspicious, Vincent didn't know what was. The professor took a right at the top of the stairs.

_'He's heading to his lab.'_

The Turk silently climbed the stairs two at a time, and took the L-shaped corridor to the office that joined onto the library. Following the scientist was easy enough as he was preoccupied in his own thoughts, but it tried Vincent's patience, since the ponytailed man shuffled along at an irritatingly, slow pace.

* * *

Finally they reached his lab with its dim, green-tinted light bulb that hung on a lead attached to the ceiling. Vincent waited a few moments after Hojo disappeared inside, before approaching the door and gently cracked it open. From this angle, he could just see Hojo removing a sealed, plastic bag from his lab coat pocket and taking its contents out with the utmost care.

_'If only he treated people with the same level of courtesy…'_

He clutched a lidded test tube, containing an aquamarine-coloured liquid. The Turk was no scientist himself, but even he could tell that the strange substance wasn't safe. The frown already upon his face deepened, as he watched the professor with his sharp, reddish eyes. Hojo had set up a tray of five labelled, but currently empty, tubes; the one with the unknown liquid in it, in a separate stand. The middle-aged man straightened his glasses, a gleeful grimace plastered to his face, as he retrieved one more plastic bag from his other pocket and took out yet another, test tube. It wasn't hard to identify what this one held: blood. Vincent dreaded to think where and how he'd gotten it. Hojo split the blood between the five waiting test tubes, making sure it was equally distributed, with a pipette. Once he was done, he placed the blood-smeared tube aside and swapped the used pipette for a clean one. He then proceeded to add a different amount of the green liquid to each test tube, before discarding that as well and pulling a microscope towards him, immediately clamping the first sample under the scope; every sample had turned black with a green gleam, within seconds of the aquamarine substance being added to them.

The Turk stepped away from the door gradually, and started back through the basement. Goosebumps had risen on his bare arms and torso, but it wasn't entirely a result of the frigid air. He was practically scowling, by the time he reached the library, Cerberus resting on his shoulder and his other hand shoved in the front pocket of his jeans; he knew that what Hojo was planning was something sinister and dangerous, he could feel it- but he didn't know exactly, what he'd just seen, so he couldn't even guess at the professors intentions.

* * *

Back in his room, the Turk lay on his back, on top of the covers and still in his jeans. He stared up at the ceiling, arms folded behind his head.

_'Damn…there really is nothing I can do- not without evidence…but he works for Shinra, so they must know what he's up to- maybe they instructed him to work on whatever it is he's working on. In which case, I still wouldn't be able to do anything…is Lucrecia involved in this? Professor Gast, too? Is that why they're here…? No…Lucrecia at least, seems to be working independently- what did she call it? Her thesis…? But the other professor…I can't believe he would be apart of any of Hojo's dealings; he's too honest…'_

Vincent rolled onto his front, closing his eyes and willing sleep back to him. For now, he'd just have to keep an eye on Hojo.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter VI; Day 6**

* * *

It was lunchtime and Vincent had braved the glares and whispering of the town, walking down the winding path to the well in the centre of the secluded place. A little girl skipped around him, seeming oblivious of her mother who was attempting to usher her away from him and to the safety of their home. A small smile lit the Turks face, despite the fact that he'd had a tension headache since he'd crawled out of bed that morning. He stepped inside the Item Store, glancing at the man behind the till, who eyed him like you might eye a prowling lion, tensed for the slightest sign of threat.

"May I help you?" the owner asked, crossing his overly-muscled biceps across his chest.

"Yes. What have you got?" Vincent inquired, in a polite but straightforward tone.

"Potions, high potions, phoenix downs and tents," the man listed, looking put out. The Turk fingered through his wallet, before coming to a decision.

"Two high potions, two phoenix downs, one tent. Please,"

"230 gil," the man stated, placing the little bottles down on the counter and reaching underneath to withdraw a folded tent, within a nylon bag. Vincent carefully put the bottles and downs in his leather satchel, before passing over a note for three hundred gil.

"Keep the change," the owner nodded curtly, watching as the black haired man picked up the tent and left the shop. Outside, he instantly headed for the Nibelheim outskirts, walking by a parked, yellow truck, before the dusty path gave way to grassy land. Vincent headed left for a bit, towards the stream they'd landed by, when they'd first arrived.

* * *

He was halfway there, when a chorus of howls went up from behind him. He spun, throwing his bag and tent aside, simultaneously reaching for Cerberus. Three Nibel Wolves quickly rounded on him, forming a triangle, so he was trapped in the middle. Vincent looked at each one, as they clawed at the ground, preparing to pounce; the Turk sighed. He shot one between the eyes, throwing himself to the side, rolling over the place it had just been, while sending bullets at the remaining two. He clipped one in the shoulder and it staggered momentarily, growling angrily. Back on his feet, he back-handed the other one mid-air, as it went for the Turks jugular with its bared teeth; it hit the ground, whimpering only slightly- the blow had damaged Vincent's left hand more than the wolf. The enemy with the wounded shoulder, half-hobbled towards the Turk, who released a fireball from his gun, which sent it flying, fur burning and the skin below, sizzling. Vincent was too slow to dodge as the other rammed into his side and they went tumbling; Cerberus emptied bullets into the wolf's under body, three at a time, as they struggled. The enemy evaporated before Vincent came to a stop. He winced slightly as he pulled himself up, clutching his ribs. He didn't think the wolf had broken any with his attack, though his skin was brown and purpling under his shirt. Vincent hesitated, and then decided against drinking a potion; he wasn't badly injured enough to warrant a high potion, which were the only ones he'd bought, so he willingly bore the pain. However, he was suddenly glad that he'd equipped his weapon with fire materia that morning. That was when he saw something flash in the corner of his eye; in a second he was aiming in the direction he'd seen it. Taking advantage of his distraction though, the charred, black frame was diving for him, from the opposite side. Vincent swung his gun towards it in one smooth motion, and just before its canines devoured his arm along with Cerberus, he pulled the trigger, twice. A succession of bullets hit the back of the wolf's throat and tore through the back of its head. It thumped to the floor and dissipated.

Brushing his navy suit off, he slowly, walked back over to retrieve his things and started off again. A couple of minutes later, he glimpsed a hill to his left; a large tree stood atop it and birds could be heard singing to one another. Vincent shrugged and made for it- it was best not to stray too far from Nibelheim, since his lunch break didn't last forever. He settled beneath the tree, stretching his long legs out in front of him and leaning back on his hands. It was warm out- enough that he took his jacket off- but not blazingly, hot. The Turk tilted his face up, soaking up the suns rays, which he didn't think he'd experienced since the last, Valentine family holiday, which had been to Costa Del Sol, naturally. Vincent hadn't liked it much; he preferred Mideel, where they'd normally go. Costa Del Sol was far too loud, humid and boisterous for the Turk. Whereas Mideel, was a lot more peaceful, familial and tranquil. In Vincent's minds eye, he saw himself as a child with a mushroom haircut, a wide grin on his face and love in his innocent, red-brown eyes, as he ran up to his mother, who knelt down and enveloped him into a hug. His father joined them both, ruffling Vincent's black hair and gazing down at his wife with a tender expression, which he reserved only for her.

Back in the present, Vincent Valentine closed his eyes, feeling his heart tighten uncomfortably, at the memory. For a moment he felt the full impact of his loneliness, as he lifted a hand to loosen the tie, which had begun to feel constricting, as if acting as a noose. Vincent fell back in the grass, raising his arms to rest his head on them, like a pillow. The tree he was under wasn't doing particularly well shielding him from the sun, but he didn't mind. You could never get this in Midgar, or in the baron, wasteland that surrounded it. Eyes still shut, Vincent let his mind wander; fanciful ideas of faking his death and disappearing off Shinra's radar and the like, ensued. Even as he sensed his body relaxing, the dull pain in his side and left hand fading, and his breathing evening out, he stayed put. He needed to rest for just a minute, or five. He needed to let go of all the stress and tension, even if for a brief moment. He needed to soothe the headache still throbbing faintly, in his right temple. He just needed…sleep.

* * *

_"…ent…Vincent…_Vincent_…"_

Vincent Valentine drowsily opened his eyes. She was haloed by the late afternoon sun, eyes teasing and a smile on her face. Still caught in the dream he'd been having, the Turk responded belatedly, starting up into a sitting position.

"Fall asleep here and you might catch a cold," she said in a faux, chiding tone; Vincent only stared, momentarily disorientated. "Why are you so surprised? Is my face that hideous?" the black haired man looked at her warm, chocolate brown eyes, her long, soft brown hair and creamy skin; no, hideous was not the word he would have used to describe her.

"Is that the way you see yourself?" he asked curiously, while resisting the impulse to brush the back of his hand along her bare arm. She'd deserted her lab coat again and wore a simple, thin-strapped, white dress that billowed out from below her bust to the hem that stopped above her knees. On her feet however, were the same scarlet heels she always wore. She'd flushed but had chosen to ignore it as she avoided Vincent's gaze, facing away from him and looking down the hill at the scenery.

"And how are you supposed to be my bodyguard when you're up here sleeping?"

"The warm breeze…I was only going to rest my eyes for a minute," the Turk murmured looking up at the sun, so that his reddish eyes looked like fire.

"Well, I have to admit, the breeze is quite comfortable. However…" Lucrecia nodded, returning to smiling down at him. "…I think you're in my seat…"

"Is that so?" Vincent replied, raising his eyebrow and focusing all his attention on not looking at the purple underwear that could be seen through her skimpy dress.

"Care to join me?" Lucrecia pulled a picnic hamper out from behind her back and settled next to the Turk on the grass, not waiting for an answer.

"I guess I have no choice," he commented, smirking lightly as he watched her retrieve a bottle of red wine from the hamper, along with two glasses. "You, er…you're really getting into that, aren't you?"

"More so the social stimulation it invites," she answered, handing him a glass, before taking a sip of her own. "It's nice spending time with someone who doesn't want to talk about science…" she glanced away, her ponytail swishing as she did.

"It's nice spending time with me…?" Vincent quirked the corner of his mouth into a crooked smile; Lucrecia's already present blush deepened.

"I didn't say that…" she replied, shyly evading eye-contact. The Turk took a swig of his wine, allowing his gaze to continue resting on the scientist. Lucrecia stared down at the red liquid in her glass, lost in her head again. "You're doing it again…"

"Doing what?" Vincent shifted his eyes and leaned back on a hand.

"Scanning my face," she said quietly, still not looking at him. "I guess it's an occupational hazard…" she added, attempting to joke. Vincent took an apple from the hamper and studied it thoughtfully, for a moment. He remembered his fathers habit of scanning peoples features; he only started doing it with Vincent after his wife died. He would tell his son that he was having to go back into work, late at night and probably wouldn't see Vincent till the following evening; the teenage boy would shrug.

_"Tell me what you're thinking, Vincent…I know you. You are always thinking- about whys and how's and what ifs- you are just like me…"_

_"I was thinking you must have made another break through," _'I never see you anymore…'

"…Do you miss your father very much?"

Vincent raised his eyes slowly, from the untouched apple in his hands. Lucrecia was looking at him with sad, guarded eyes. "I miss both my parents,"

"But you miss your father more?" she guessed, her tone rather insistent.

"The thing about my parents," the blacked haired man began, a little reluctantly. "They were one mind in two bodies; when my mother died, so did my father. And then when my father died, he was only going back to be with her. I know that sounds…but you didn't know them," the scientist dropped her eyes, biting her lip and frowning slightly. "What about your family?" Vincent finally bit into his apple, running his tongue over his lips, at the same time as glancing sideways at the brown haired girl.

"My mother was sixteen when she had me- she…died in childbirth. Not long after that my father abandoned my brother and I, with our grandparents- my mothers parents," Lucrecia spoke as if she were simply talking about a book she'd read but wasn't yet sure was good or not; the Turk stayed quiet as she swallowed and continued. "My brother was born premature…he died of pneumonia when he was nine. I had been eight," the gulp of wine she took was the only hint he got of her feelings.

"That must have been tough for you, growing up," Vincent said, locking their eyes so that she could see the depth of his sincerity. The scientist mirrored his expression.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered, closing her eyes.

"Isn't that my line?" the Turk said gently, wondering at Lucrecia's expression, not for the first time. "That look; you pity me. But I don't understand why…"

"It's not pity," she shook her head adamantly, before smiling at him, weakly. "You and I…we're the same. Though it makes me sad to know that…"

"The same?"

"The only difference is you are not to blame for the things that have happened in your life," she breathed in deeply, looking into his reddish brown eyes, so like his fathers.

Vincent leaned towards her, hesitantly lifting his hand to cup the side of her face. "No, you're right. We are the same…" Lucrecia stared a little in alarm, as his face drew nearer. But when his lips pressed softly against hers, her eyelids fluttered shut and when she raised her hand to encircle his wrist, it wasn't to stop him. It was to keep him there.

* * *

Vincent subconsciously lay Lucrecia down in the grass, never breaking their connected mouths. He went slowly, treating her like precious china; he had never touched a woman who mattered before. And the scientist was kissing the Turk back like her life depended on it. Vincent was almost desperately, trying to hold back the intensity that was building up within him. Somehow he had the impression that she had never been kissed before, despite the fact that every small pressure, and soon every swipe of her tongue, went straight to his groin. She tasted like honey, in a way that was almost too sweet and with each lick of his tongue to the roof of her mouth, or over her top lip, he wanted to taint her. She bit down on his bottom lip then, so hard that it split and the taste of blood mingled with their kiss. Instantly the Turk pulled back, though he didn't remove his hands from where they rested, one still on her face and the other gripping her hip. They were both panting faintly and Vincent was pleased to see the brown haired girls eyes were a little wild.

"I'm sorry," Lucrecia breathed hastily, fingers barely brushing over his wounded lip.

"Don't worry about it-" he couldn't help the breath that he sucked in, when the scientist's arms wrapped protectively, around him. Vincent lay down beside her on his back; he sighed.

"What's wrong?" Lucrecia sat up and began pushing the black haired mans shirt up. "Mr. Valentine…!" she gasped, eyes flying wide.

"Its fine-" he started to reassure her but she cut him off.

"Who did this to you?"

"What do you mean 'who'?" Vincent asked with a quizzical smile on his face, as he played with the locks of hair that had fallen over her left shoulder. "I was attacked by wolves on my way up here," he shrugged as she gingerly ran her fingertips over the damaged, bruised skin.

"Oh…" Lucrecia sat back, with an unhappy expression on her face. Vincent paused, straightening up and pulling his shirt down.

"Did you think that…Hojo did this to me?" the Turk asked carefully, absently tucking her bangs behind her ears, as he searched her face.

"It's just you constantly, _deliberately_ anger him- and you keep sneaking into his lab…"

"But why would you think him capable of something like this? Unless…" Vincent felt briefly sick, as he watched her shake her head.

"Forget what I said, it's nothing," Lucrecia told him, attempting to back-track as she caught at the sleeves of his shirt.

"Has he hit you?" Vincent demanded, voice rough.

"No," she denied too quickly, shooting him an urgent look. The Turk glared at her until her resolve wavered and she whispered, "…Yes." Vincent saw red for a full minute, as she repeated his name, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him, half-heartedly. "Has he…done anything else…?" he asked eventually, dangerously quiet. At first the scientist was confused but slowly, her face cleared.

"No, of course not!" she sounded slightly disgusted, her face paling substantially.

"Well what do you expect me to think?!" Vincent shot back defensively, nose flared. Lucrecia's mouth opened and shut and then she started getting to her feet. "Lucrecia, wait, I'm sorry," he sighed, pulling his arms into his suit jacket, as she placed the bottle of wine, the empty glasses and the half-eaten apple into the picnic hamper.

"I was being obnoxious- I was in the wrong, talking to someone superior to me in such a rude manner," Lucrecia was saying, clearly trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince Vincent.

"Superior to you?" the Turk repeated incredulously, keeping pace with her as she hurried down the hill.

"It's you," she stopped, spinning around to face him. "You're a bad influence on me,"

"And that's a bad thing?" the black haired man questioned lightly, kissing her on the forehead. Lucrecia looked at him for a long time, so long that he raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think we should see each other anymore,"

"That would be challenging, since we live together," Vincent pointed out, taking her free hand in his. The smile gradually left his face, as he looked at her. "You're serious?"

"I think it would be best for the both of us…" the scientist answered, with a lopsided shrug, looking away swiftly. Vincent took his hand back, jaw setting as emotions flew across his face, too fast to pin down.

"As you wish." He replied eventually, tone emotionless. Lucrecia bit her lip, staring down at her feet. It wasn't hard for the Turk to tell that this wasn't what she wanted, but he wasn't going to chase her down until she gave in. He was used to disappointment anyway. "I need to get back. You're not the only person I'm supposed to be 'guarding'." Vincent didn't wait for a response; he headed for Nibelheim, only looking over his shoulder once to see her trailing after him.

* * *

Lucrecia didn't break the tense silence until they were walking up the path, to the mansion.

"Mr. Valentine?"

"You don't have to keep calling me that," the Turk replied, tone flat. There was a pause and then he looked over at her. There was a small smile gracing her face.

"I don't remember giving you permission to call me Lucrecia," she said, glancing at him.

"You did," Vincent returned, giving her a knowing look; the brown haired girl reddened and caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Well, is that how you're going to be from now on?" she spoke in a mock-stern tone. They had reached the mansion.

"And how might that be?" the Turk cast a quick look around them, before tugging her away from the gate and into the cover of the high wall that bordered Shinra Manor. "Is this how _you're_ going to be? Giving me those sad eyes, while still pushing me away?" his red-brown eyes bore into her chocolate brown ones.

"And what of your eyes?" she countered, with more meaning in her voice than Vincent could comprehend. She stepped closer, drawing him down so that they were nose to nose. Vincent smiled, hands pressed to the small of her back, as she stroked the back of his neck. "What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"…Nothing…" Lucrecia exhaled, shaking her head. "Let's go inside,"

"Okay," as she started to pull away, Vincent stopped her with a feather-light kiss, lingering for a minute, before releasing her. The Turk and the scientist strolled up the path to the front door, significantly closer together than before.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter VII; Day 7**

* * *

"Hello, Mr. Valentine, Dr. Crescent," Vincent glanced up from where he was perched on the edge of Lucrecia's desk, to see Professor Gast giving him a crinkly-eyed smile. His dark, brown hair was combed, parted neatly on one side, and his moustache had thickened slightly since the last time Vincent had seen him. He pushed his rectangular glasses up his nose; a force of habit he probably wasn't aware of.

"Professor Gast," the Turk dropped him a nod, straightening up.

"How is everything, Professor Gast?" Lucrecia asked, getting to her feet and approaching her fellow scientist.

"Very well, indeed," the professor replied, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I was wondering if either of you had seen Mr. Price, today? I'm planning on making a trip up to the reactor again and I thought he might enjoy another visit,"

"Um, I'm sorry but no, I'm afraid I haven't seen Mr. Price in the past couple of days…" Lucrecia glanced over her shoulder at Vincent who was frowning, in thought. "Mr. Valentine?"

"I'm sorry, Professor, I haven't seen him," the Turk said eventually, meeting the scientists disappointed, coffee-coloured gaze. "But I'll find him later on and inform him that you were looking for him,"

"I'd appreciate that, Mr. Valentine," the professor smiled before turning back to Lucrecia. "Well, I will leave you to it, Doctor. And just to let you know, I believe Hojo has it in mind to visit you sometime today, to see how you are progressing,"

"…Alright, thank you, Professor," Lucrecia responded hesitantly, her forehead creasing as the brown haired man left the room. Vincent however, was still thinking about Morgan; he had completely forgotten about the secretary. But the information that he hadn't been seen by anyone recently concerned the Turk. Lucrecia appeared in front of him, eyes worried.

"…Mr. Valentine? Did you hear anything I just said?" the man with the crow-black hair slowly looked down at her.

"Hmm?"

"I said, you probably shouldn't be here when Professor Hojo arrives," Lucrecia told him, pulling him to the door by his hand.

"Why not?" Vincent inquired, suddenly returning to his senses.

"You know why," Lucrecia rolled her eyes, turning her face away from his seeking lips. She couldn't suppress the grin that lit her face though, as Vincent persisted, his mouth making contact with her ear, jaw and nose, as he missed his target. "Vincent!" she giggled, finally allowing him to catch her lips with his. The Turk reached round to entangle his hands in her soft hair, as she locked her arms around his neck, fingers brushing against the sensitive skin they found there. When Vincent pulled away, he had a wide smirk on his face.

"Okay, I'm going," he said, in response to the look she flashed him. "I guess I'll see you later,"

"Stay safe," the scientist called as she returned to her computer.

"Will do," Vincent promised, sending her a wink that instantly made her flush, before closing the door behind him. Turning around, the Turk came face to face with a sallow complexion.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Hojo sneered, hands clasped behind his back.

"My job." Vincent answered evenly, although he narrowed his eyes.

"Get out of my way then, boy." The professor scowled, invading the Turks personal space. "I have things to discuss with that woman and I do not have all day."

"'That woman' has a name," Vincent said, voice low and firm.

"Ah yes, I had a feeling this would happen," Hojo replied, an ugly grin forming on his weathered face.

"Excuse me?" the Turk gave the middle aged man a withering look.

"I've seen the way you look at her, are always trailing after her like a love-sick dog." Hojo released a bark of laughter that rebounded off the walls. Vincent set his jaw, hands balling into fists at his sides.

"What about you? I know you want her for something," he shot back, quietly seething. Hojo's patience seemed to run out; he brought his hand up, ready to back-hand the Turk for the second time.

"That is none of your concern, boy!" the black haired man's fingers enclosed around the older mans wrist, nails biting, just before it connected with his cheek.

"You listen to me," Vincent hissed, nose flaring as he glared at the professor. "You can hit me- or try to- all you want. But if you lay another finger on Dr. Crescent, you can forget about your little science project because you'll regret the day you were born, when I'm finished with you." Hojo scowled furiously, teeth bared at the Turk like a deranged animal.

"You dare to use that condescending tone with me?" the scientist demanded, ripping his hand back from Vincent's grasp. "You pathetic _boy_. You really think that she'd choose you over her career? I almost feel sorry for you." He laughed again as he shoved the Turk out of the way. Vincent continued to frown at the man, his expression now masked.

"It's me who feels sorry for you." He muttered, gritting his teeth, as Hojo's beady gaze slid over him again.

"For the truth is," Hojo went on, ignoring Vincent's last comment. "Deep down, she can hardly bare the sight of you. You will never amount to anything more than a ghost from her past, which she would rather forget."

"Cut the riddles," Vincent said, his hand itching for Cerberus. His expression had cooled dramatically and he was aching for a legitimate excuse to shoot the sordid professor over and over again, until the floor of the corridor resembled a river of blood. Hojo simply cut his eyes at the Turk and entered Lucrecia's laboratory, slamming the door shut. After a minute of resisting the urge to storm in there and beat the scientist black and blue, Vincent made his way silently back through the basement, his mind distracted by Hojo's words. There was more to it than a threat of the brown haired girl choosing her work over the Turk; there was a much bigger picture that Vincent was still blind to. But he would make sure things didn't stay that way.

* * *

Vincent stood outside Morgan's bedroom, having already checked the rest of the mansion. He lifted his hand and pounded twice on the hard wooden door. Silence. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and eased the door open. The Turk simultaneously, let out the breath he'd been holding and tensed; the relief of not finding the secretary dead in a bloody heap, was cancelled out by the fact that he still had yet to be found. Vincent went to work on turning the impeccably, tidy room upside down, only to find nothing of any help or interest that hinted at Morgan's whereabouts. He inhaled once through his nose, managing to stay as calm as possible and strode across the hall to his own room.

The Turk had made it only partway through getting changed- with the plan of scouring the Nibelheim outskirts as well as Mount Nibel, for the missing Shinra employee- before he had taken up wearing a hole in the floor.

_'Is this some kind of test? To prove my loyalty to the company? Are they expecting me to forget about him- leave him to rot in a ditch somewhere- instead of abandon my post? No…something's not right…what in Gaia-'_

There was a faint tap on his bedroom door. Vincent, in just his black boxers and white shirt, flung the door open without a moments thought.

"Mr. Valentine…" Lucrecia's eyes dropped to his bare legs and feet, and then came back up to meet his reddish brown gaze, a confused though embarrassed, expression on her face. "You didn't come back to my lab, so I thought I'd check you were alright…are you going somewhere?"

"Uh…I was," Vincent sighed, walking away from the door and sitting down on his bed. "Morgan's gone missing," he added, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, as the scientist gently shut the door behind her.

"Morgan…?" Lucrecia said with a blank look, hesitantly sitting down next to him.

"Mr. Price," Vincent elaborated, leaning back on a hand as he cupped the side of his neck with the other.

"Oh- you mean you haven't found him?" the girl with the brown hair wrapped in yellow ribbon, said in surprise. "He may have gone into town…"

"I guess so, but…" the Turk shook his head, crow-black hair falling into his eyes.

"You have a bad feeling?" Lucrecia guessed, placing a hand on his arm and squeezing lightly. "I'm sure he'll turn up," she smiled in reassurance, but her chocolate brown eyes told him she didn't really believe it. Vincent mentally cursed, fists clenching and unclenching once, before his gaze drifted back to the scientist beside him. Registering the bed beneath them, his lack of clothing and her close proximity, Vincent felt his face heat up. Lucrecia's hand was now running up and down his arm, in a comforting motion, which was quickly losing said comfort. She leaned up then, putting her free hand on his cheek and drawing his mouth down on hers. Gradually the Turk forced his worry and doubts to the back of his mind and started to return her kiss. One hand went around to her back, while the other one landed at the top of her thigh. Lucrecia wove her fingers into Vincent's hair, as she parted her lips under the pressure of his tongue. The scientist was on her back- the Turks body half pinning her down- when he noticed that she was moaning against his ear; his mouth had found its way to her neck and he was trailing wet kisses down to her collarbone.

"Mr.…Valentine…" she breathed, trying and failing to ignore the way his tongue felt on her skin.

"Vincent," the Turk replied automatically, as his hands slipped underneath her blouse.

"Mr. Valentine…we have to…" Lucrecia began, as his hands moved higher and his lips pressed against hers again. "…stop…_Vincent_…stop!" the man in question pulled back hastily, removing his hands from under her clothes. His eyelids were heavy with lust- as were Lucrecia's- their pupils equally dilated and as the scientist breathed in short gasps, the Turk was on the verge of panting. Vincent rolled off her, throwing an arm over his eyes as he waited for his heartbeat to even out.

"Sorry about that," he murmured, shooting her a side-glance.

"There's no need to apologise- I shouldn't have taken advantage of you," Lucrecia said, sitting up and straightening her blouse and lab coat; the Turk chuckled, looking over at her with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"You, take advantage of me?"

"I was- you're worried about your friend…" the scientist started, sounding a little indignant but Vincent laughed again, stopping her in her tracks.

"I would like to see that sometime," he said shaking his head with raised eyebrows. Lucrecia bit her lip and turned away from him.

"You think so good of me…" she almost whispered, before getting to her feet.

"Why are you scientists always being so cryptic?" Vincent asked, his composure fully restored now. "You can't have done anything worse than what I've done,"

"As I said before," Lucrecia glanced over her shoulder at him, expression melancholic for the first time in days. "We're the same,"

"Then why do you act like you're inferior to me? To everyone around you?" the Turk countered, propping himself up on his elbow and staring her down.

"Because I need your forgiveness," the scientist answered in a weak voice; Vincent frowned deeply, studying her face until she looked away and headed for the door.

"For what?" the Turk called as she put one foot out of the room. She paused, eyes still downcast.

"For causing you pain…" Lucrecia whispered.

"What?" Vincent climbed off the bed, with an idea to stop her from running, but he was too late. "Lucrecia!" he released a noise of pure frustration and fell back on his bed once more, listening to the sound of her heels carrying her away from him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter VIII; Day 18**

* * *

In the end, Vincent Valentine had pulled three all-nighters, following the day they'd discovered Morgan Price's disappearance. He had searched the Nibel countryside and the mountain, armed with a torch, a supply pack and of course, Cerberus. But nothing; the Turk was met only by endless hordes of enemies from Nibel Wolves to Crown Lances to Zuus and had been branded the marks to prove it. He even had to stagger back to Shinra Manor on the third night, with a deep gash across his torso and a dislocated leg; he'd run out of potions after he'd been caught by a Sonic Speed's lightning-elemental attack. Needless to say, he downed two high potions as soon as he'd returned. Wracked with remorse, Vincent had been systematically avoiding Lucrecia, only saying a brief hello when he passed her in the hall or basement corridors, which were the only places he couldn't anticipate her being. It wasn't lost on him that had he been paying less attention to the scientist and a little more to his job as protector of the people residing in the mansion, he could have noticed the secretary's absence sooner, if not prevent it altogether. There was no doubt in the Turks mind that the young brunette was probably dead, regardless that Hojo had dubbed Morgan a deserter. Vincent had dismissed the theory the moment it had reached his ears- the man had been more loyal to the Shinra Electric Power Company, than the Turk and even he hadn't gone AWOL…yet. It was true that Vincent had been under no obligation to watch over Morgan while they were on this assignment, but it had been an unspoken acknowledgement that he would look out for him. And he had failed. Still, Vincent had something gnawing at the back of his mind that the Shinra employee would eventually turn up- he just wasn't looking forward to finding out what remained of the pouty brunette.

Now, Vincent sat on the cold ground of the conservatory on the second floor, having secluded himself as much as he could. His head was playing up particularly badly today, conjuring up memories and freeze frames of the young secretary, with the wavy hair and the almond-shaped, emerald eyes, who he had not only forgotten about, but had actively ignored because he simply didn't like the reminder of Midgar hanging around him.

_'And now he's dead…I guess I got what I wanted…'_

The Turk sighed and leant his head back against the wall, as he tugged at his ties choke hold. An image of his mother clouded his vision then, her copper hair curling around her shoulders and her dark brown eyes- the same shape as his- full of tenderness.

_"It's not your fault, Vincent. These things just happen…don't cry my dear…"_

_"But Mother, if I-"_

_"No buts. There are some things in life that are inevitable, just like there are things we can change. The trick is to know which is which and to let go of our regrets. Never let them consume you…do you understand, Vincent?"_

_"I…have to learn from my mistakes and move on…?"_

_"That's right- just like your father says…"_

The Turk closed his eyes, as he continued to dwell on the past. He had been ten years old at the time and he'd run outside of his house to welcome his mother home from a check up at the hospital. Thoughtlessly, he'd left the front door open and their cat Lois- a black feline with wide green eyes- had run out and into the road, where she had met her fate against the side of a speeding car, that hadn't stopped to see the damage. Lois had been Vincent's own really, she would follow him around and sit mewing, behind closed doors, while he was in the bath or had sought solace and shut himself up in the library or the music room. His cat was no outdoor cat- that was for sure- and precisely why he shouldn't have left the door open that day; she had followed Vincent out to her death. He'd been too caught up in seeing his mother, begging her for hugs and affection, that he hadn't taken his little, fur-ball of responsibility into consideration.

* * *

The Turk was pulled out of himself by the sudden presence of the brown haired girl he now felt uncomfortable being around.

"…I've hardly seen you this past week…" she was saying, awkwardly crouching down beside him. Lucrecia was wearing too-tight jeans and a baggy, red, long-sleeved top beneath her lab coat; casual clothes. Her soft hair was tied in a chaotic knot at the nape of her neck.

"You look tired," Vincent observed, voice and face expressionless as he straightened up from off the floor. The scientist rose with him, standing close to his side.

"So do you…" there was a pause. "I see you've recovered from your recent injuries…" she offered lamely, as the Turk refrained from looking at her.

"Not quite," Vincent pushed a lock of black hair out of his face to show her three parallel, claw marks that ran from his right temple to the height of his cheekbone; her forehead creased. "A lot less than I deserve though,"

"Don't say that!" Lucrecia pleaded weakly, clutching at his hand with both of hers. "It's not your fault,"

"Then whose is it?" the Turk replied, features still blank and the usual glint in his red-brown eyes, dulled.

"Mine," the scientist murmured, looking down at her hands wrapped around his. Vincent merely raised an eyebrow, curious as to how she would turn the blame around on herself this time. "If I hadn't distracted you, with the wine, the picnic and…the rest, you may have noticed Mr. Price was unhappy- was having doubts about Shinra-"

"He did not desert." The Turk cut her off, in a low, adamant tone. "He's dead." And with that, he took back his hand and swiftly left the room.

"Mr. Valentine…!"

Of course, he regretted it half a second afterwards, but he kept walking, immediately going on his hourly patrol, which he had become stricter with. But it wasn't enough; he was letting feelings get in the way. Vincent was ashamed of his- normally exceptional- conduct. He was a Turk and he had a job to do; this wasn't some pleasure cruise. The black haired man set his jaw and worked on expelling all from his mind, a part from why he was there and what he was doing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter IX; Day 19**

* * *

It didn't last very long. The following night, the Turk had just reported in to the Director, when the knock came calling. Vincent put off answering it until her gentle tones began sifting through it. He opened the door and leant against the frame, arms crossed more in defence than anything else.

"Hi…" she said timidly, flushing bright red; her hair was down, tucked behind her ears apart from the bangs that always hung either side of her face. She was wearing a purple, cotton dressing gown and Vincent had to wilfully stop himself from wondering what she had on underneath it. Her feet were clad in fluffy slippers he noted, with an internal smirk as his gaze came to rest on her anxious face once more.

"Lucrecia," he nodded and then continued to stare at her, deliberately making her feel uncomfortable with the half-hearted, hope that she would leave as quickly as she'd come.

"May I come in…just for a minute…?" she asked, gesturing to the untidy room he was currently blocking from her view. Her chocolate brown eyes widened a bit as she looked up at him.

"…Sure," the Turk exhaled, pushing away from the door and turning so that she wasn't in his line of vision.

"About yesterday…" the scientist began, shifting from foot to foot and picking at her cuticles. "I'm sorry I upset you…to think, I was trying to console you, but…well, I made things ten times worse…" Vincent heard her voice waver and couldn't help but turn around to face her.

"I'm sorry too," he murmured, stepping towards her. "It all got on top of me for a second. But I shouldn't have spoken to you or treated you, in that way. It's not your fault,"

"But it is-"

"No. It's not." He gave her a weak but soft smile. Lucrecia lifted her face up to his, taking in the sincerity behind his reddish brown eyes.

"Friends?" she smiled, holding her hand out for him to shake.

"Friends?" Vincent repeated, chuckling to himself as he split a glance between Lucrecia and her proffered hand; ignoring it, he wrapped his arms securely around her waist. After a beat, she hooked her arms around his neck, releasing a sigh of relief. Vincent shut his eyes as he absently committed the jasmine scent of her, to memory. They stood holding each other in silence for a few moments, before the Turk felt the scientist take a deep breath.

"May I…stay here with you?" she said quietly, her cheeks warming up no doubt. "Just for a little while," she added, hastily. Vincent pulled back, resting his hands at the tops of her arms, while her fingers grasped at the collar of his shirt. Lucrecia's eyes were brimming with disappointment, as if he had already told her no. He shook his head, a smirk twitching at the corners of his mouth. Vincent moved closer and kissed the scientist, cradling her face in his hands. Lucrecia responded like someone who'd been deprived oxygen for far too long and could finally breathe. Eventually, the Turk forced himself to step back, taking her hand in his and brushing his thumb back and forth, over her knuckles.

"That was a yes, by the way," Vincent said, humour in the depths of his eyes; the brown haired girls face lit up.

Lucrecia had dumped her dressing gown in the wing-backed chair in the corner, and curled up on her side, waiting for Vincent to change. Thankfully, she was wearing pyjamas- light blue, with a silver tabby print on her top. The Turk slid into a pair of thin, grey, track bottoms for good measure, but left his torso bare. He quickly got into bed beside her, his feet suffering minimally, from the freezing cold floor. Tentatively, Lucrecia snuggled into his side, her cheek pressed against his chest as he wound an arm around her. Vincent's lips quirked up into a small smile, as he slowly adjusted to the new experience and stared up at the ceiling. He'd never lain in bed with a woman like this before. Back in Midgar, he'd pick up girls only occasionally, when he was wallowing too much in self pity and needed to relieve tension. They'd never stayed for more than five minutes once he'd performed though- probably put off by the scarcely veiled disgust, which would emanate from him; not that it was aimed at them, no, it was always reserved for himself. The Turk shifted his thoughts back to the girl next to him, already asleep and as quiet as a mouse. He envied her; all he wanted was to close his eyes and fall into a long, dreamless sleep for once in his life. He gave a muted sigh, his gaze landing on Lucrecia again.

* * *

He had been watching her for what seemed like forever, when she startled him by murmuring incoherently. For a moment Vincent thought he'd woken her up, but then he realised she was still asleep.

"…Mr. Valentine…" she gasped more than breathed, immediately gaining the Turks undivided attention.

"Call me Vincent," he whispered, tone almost insistent as he studied her features. The scientists grip on him tightened fractionally, a frown forming faintly, on her face.

"…Why did…you…you have to fade…away…?" Vincent's eyebrows drew together then, as he held his breath, waiting for her to speak again. But she didn't; she merely, unconsciously cuddled closer to him. The Turk relaxed slightly, stroking Lucrecia's hair down her back and revelling in its velvety texture. His mind was still on her strange words, but he decided to let it go- he wasn't going to wake her up just to ask her about something, that would probably turn out to be nothing more than gibberish from a dream. He would mention it vaguely, in the morning but for now, he closed his eyes.

* * *

Gradually, Vincent's muscles loosened, his breathing growing calm and steady, and his bedroom along with Lucrecia, fell away…almost completely.

_Vincent was dreaming again. He knew straight away by the lethargic atmosphere and his laboured movements. Glancing down, his hands brushed against the coarse, cotton fabric of a hospital gown. Somewhere in his head he knew he was cold, goose bumps standing out on his arms and legs, but he couldn't feel it. He blinked a couple times as he raised his eyes again, only to find himself staring into a pair of ruby red ones. Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, Vincent took an automatic step backwards. The man in front of him mimicked the move and before it could sink in that this figure was in fact a man, he was struck with the familiar features that he had seen in the mirror countless times. It was the Turks reflection; only it wasn't. The crow-black hair was long and tangled- wild- and the piercing red eyes that gazed back at him unflinching, didn't belong to him._

_"Who are you?" Vincent had intended his voice to be hard and edged, but it came out weak, hollow and echoed, like he was calling down an endless tunnel. The imposter spoke the same words, in perfect sync with the Turk, although his voice _had_ been hard and edged, as well as impossibly deep and resonating. Cautiously, the Turk pulled his eyes from the man and looked about him. They were in fact in a tunnel- the one that lead to the laboratories beneath Shinra Manor, to be precise- not endless, but dark and damp and silent. The imposter walked away then, feet soundless. He motioned for Vincent to follow as he came to the door on the left, which was always locked. Quirking an eyebrow at the Turk, he continued to beckon, placing a finger over his lips, warning Vincent to keep quiet. The Turk took hesitant, languid steps towards the man that wasn't him, cringing inwardly at the slick, grimy stone floor underneath his bare feet. As he got closer, the imposter gave him a knowing look, his mouth identical to Vincent's, turning up infinitesimally at the corners._

_"What's in there?" Vincent demanded slowly, eyes focusing and un-focusing in the others red gaze, as he put a hand against the wall to try and steady himself._

_"You already know." The imposter responded, tone low, indifferent and his face serene once more. "It's time."_

_"For what-?" Vincent began, but the imposter had already disappeared inside. The Turk stood before the open door, blind to what lay beyond it. Carefully, he started through it, feet weighing him down like they were made of lead. The door slammed shut, leaving him trapped in the pitch-black room. Claustrophobia smothered him instantly, as he grasped for the door handle that had apparently ceased to exist. Vincent let his arms drop back to his sides and closed his eyes. His breathing had grown thin and sweat was now beading on his forehead and along his spine. Gradually, the black haired man turned around, eyes searching for any measly amount of light. Vincent counted to a hundred in his head, a futile attempt to calm his pounding heartbeat. He had reached sixty-six when a white light suddenly burst before his eyes. The Turk shielded his face with a hand, before the light dimmed to that of a flickering, yellow bulb that was hanging from an invisible ceiling. Blood red silhouettes materialised, standing either side of a shiny, black coffin. Vincent watched as the smaller, slighter of the two took on the form of Lucrecia. Thick, ivory material was wrapped around her chest, waist and thighs, exposing her flat tummy and cascaded down to the floor on one side. Her brown hair was tied up in a twist with reddish-purple ribbon._

_"Have you come to check up on me, Vincent?" Lucrecia's voice was soft and lulling like a lullaby, but her tone was sarcastic and mocking. Vincent's throat contracted as he stared at her, lost in the severity of her sneer. The second figure stepped forward then, causing the usually fearless Turk to stagger back. Grimoire Valentine looked down at him; his hair was the same as the last time Vincent had seen him- falling just below his ears and parted down the middle. His reddish brown eyes cut into his sons, with unbelievable contempt._

_"Vincent. Why are you crying?" the Turks father asked in a detached voice. Vincent reached up to touch his fingers to the skin below his eyes in confusion, only to find it wet. "Are you still wallowing in matters you cannot change?" Grimoire said rhetorically, his face scrunching up into a scowl that Vincent had never seen his father wear before, let alone direct at him; the Turk swallowed hard._

_"Father, I-"_

_"What a disgraceful sight." For reasons unknown, Vincent looked to Lucrecia. But for what? Support? Help? Comfort?_

_"Why do you look at me like that, Vincent?" she smirked, chocolate brown eyes darkening slightly. "Or is _this_ how you would prefer me to be?" on cue, she tugged at her white, make-shift dress and let it pile on the floor around her feet. The Turks eyes widened in shock as he feebly tried to tear his gaze away from Lucrecia's naked, creamy body. From the corner of his eye, he registered the coffin lid uproot itself and crash to the floor beside the casket. The scientist lowered herself into it, leaning back on her elbows and winked at the partly horrified, partly desire-filled Turk._

_"What are you waiting for?" a voice spoke into his ear from behind, making Vincent jump to his chagrin. His eyes were met with the same ruby ones from before; the imposter was smiling with anticipation and badly masked impatience. "Take her…I hate it when you starve me like this…do me and yourself a favour…take her…" the room started spinning, depicting Vincent's current state of mind. He saw a glimpse of Lucrecia in the black coffin, biting her lip, his father glaring at him in disapproval and finally, the imposter grinning at him with his glowing red eyes. _

And then it was over.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter X; Day 20**

* * *

Vincent Valentine woke up, his palms clammy and twisted in the bed sheets. He waited for his muscles to relax and the tension to lift, his eyes sore and tired. Salty water ran down the side of his face and it was impossible to tell whether it had been sweat or a tear. The Turk turned his head, simultaneously trailing his fingers over the empty space beside him. Lucrecia had slipped away while he was asleep; where she had lay in his bed had already cooled to below room temperature. Vincent swung his legs over the side and tip-toed across the cold, wooden slats to his chest of draws. Dressed and now wide awake, the black haired man took a trip to the bathroom, before grabbing a cup of coffee from the drawing room.

"Ah, Mr. Valentine," the person in question almost choked on the scolding hot drink he was downing. Briskly wiping the back of his hand over his mouth, Vincent turned towards the man on his left.

"Professor Gast. Morning,"

"And a good morning to you," the scientist gave him a crinkly-eyed smile before his face sobered a bit. "I don't suppose there's been any news on Morgan Price's whereabouts…?" the Turk shook his head, suppressing a sigh and looking at the floor.

"Unfortunately no," Vincent took a gulp of his coffee, still avoiding Professor Gast's kind, forgiving gaze.

"Chin up, Mr. Valentine. I'm sure he'll turn up safe and sound in no time," the scientist gave him a pat on the back before taking a slice of toast from the rack and disappearing off. The Turk drained the remains of his drink and set it down on the table. Lingering a moment more, he straightened his suit and headed for the basement.

* * *

On the way through the dank tunnel, Vincent hesitated by the locked door on the left, that had been in his dream. The surface of the age-worn, wooden door was icy to the touch and the Turk felt his insides knot in warning. Vincent's eyebrows drew together as he slowly reached for the rusted, metal ringed handle. He twisted it, took a breath and pulled. To the Turks uttermost surprise, the door creaked open. With a quick glance up and down the tunnel, he stepped inside and shut the door gently behind him. He was stood in a small, hexagonal, dimly lit room, but Vincent barely noticed. Positioned haphazardly from the left to the right were three coffins. They were lidded and looked almost brand new; the Turk dreaded to think what dwelled inside them…or who. Vincent started to the coffin on the right first, readying Cerberus just in case. He slid the lid aside. A skeleton with mouldy flesh still clinging to it here and there, stared silently back at him, unseeing. Vincent scrunched up his nose in reaction to the smell it exhumed and swiftly resealed the coffin. Equally more determined and reluctant, he moved to the middle of the room. On looking into this one, the Turk suffered a mini heart attack, as he passed his free hand over his eyes. It was empty. In different circumstances Vincent might have laughed, but now he simply walked over to the third and final coffin. He inhaled and exhaled through his nose as he braced his hands on top of the hard, confined prison. The Turk sighed in relief before sucking it back in, sharply. It wasn't Morgan. But it was someone. Vincent could tell that it was a man, although he had already begun decomposing. There didn't appear to be any wounds or injuries to explain the man's death, from what Vincent could see, but further speculation was halted at that moment.

"What do you think you are doing, boy?" the Turks reddish brown eyes narrowed before he had even turned them on the scientist who was addressing him.

"Investigating. We Turks do that sometimes. It's a compulsive habit." Vincent said sarcastically, slotting his gun back into its holster after a moments thought.

"And what, I ask, are you 'investigating'?" Hojo sneered, the small light in the room reflecting off of his glasses and concealing his eyes; not that that was an entirely bad thing.

"The disappearance of my colleague," The Turk answered in a toneless voice, before his intuition sparked. "What did you think I was investigating?" The professor's expression didn't seem to change, although Vincent was sure the older mans frown lines had deepened, ever so slightly.

"I am the one who asks the questions." Hojo spat, looking mildly superior.

"Why are these dead bodies- skeletons- in here? And who were they?" Vincent questioned, careful to keep the heat out of his words.

"That is none of your business." The scientist snapped, moving further into the room. "I feel as though I am repeating myself. You should be seen and not heard, boy." Hands balled, Vincent walked towards the entrance, pausing just behind Hojo.

"I _will_ find out whatever it is that you're hiding." The Turk promised in a quiet, lethal voice. The professor barked a short, vulgar laugh.

"Do you suppose that I will be the only one after your silence, if that were to happen?" he countered, facing Vincent as he folded his hands behind his back. "President Shinra would order your head on a platter, should you find out something that could harm his precious company." Hojo laughed again, his beady, obsidian eyes now visible, cut into the Turks.

"Is that right…?" Vincent allowed the hint of a smirk and left the room.

_'So, whatever Hojo's up to could damage Shinra's reputation…'_

* * *

The Turks mind whirred as he subconsciously made his way to Lucrecia's laboratory. On entering the fluorescently lit room, with the itchy, anti-bacterial air, something occurred to him.

"Mr. Valentine, you're late," Lucrecia, with her brown hair tied into a French plait, beamed at him from over a microscope.

"I didn't realise you were expecting me," the Turk commented, leaning back against the wall opposite her; his jaw worked a little as he crossed his arms over his chest. The scientist removed her rubber gloves and dropped them on the lab table, before coming to stand in front of him.

"Last night was…nice," she said timidly, clasping her hands together.

"Yes," the Turk agreed, glancing at her once before his eyes flickered back down to the floor.

"Are you…alright, Mr. Valentine?"

"Call me Vincent," he returned, in a clipped tone. Lucrecia blanched, lowering her gaze to her feet, biting her lip. The Turk let out a breath and stepped close to her, placing his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs brushing against the sides of her neck. "Will you tell me the truth…?"

"Of course I will. What is it?" Lucrecia looked up at him with her wide, brown eyes, as she put her palm on his cheek, tentatively.

"Do you know about the dead bodies Hojo's been keeping down here?"

Lucrecia looked astonished. Gradually, her hand fell from the Turks face. Vincent monitored her expression closely, but as her palm left his cheek, he felt a stirring of regret for his frankness.

"That is…well that is just absurd," the scientist responded finally, disbelief colouring her tones. "How could you accuse the professor of such a thing?"

"I've seen it," Vincent responded quickly, eyes boring into Lucrecia's, begging her to accept the truth. "I know it sounds crazy, but there is a skeleton and a dead body in that room he keeps locked,"

"There's no way he…" the scientist began, voice wavering.

"He even put them in coffins!" Vincent insisted, lowering his voice and glancing behind him towards the door.

"This isn't…this isn't something to do with Mr. Price, is it?" Lucrecia asked in a near-whisper, evading eye contact. The Turk quirked his eyebrows, trying to read into her discomfiture.

"No. Why? Do you think Hojo killed Morgan as well?" his mouth thinned into a grim line, as the scientist picked at her cuticles.

"Of course not!" she denied, pulling away and turning so that Vincent couldn't see her face. "Professor Hojo hasn't killed anyone,"

"Then who are the people in that room?" the Turk half demanded, moving so that he could attempt to catch her eyes again.

"I don't know!"

"You said you'd tell me the truth," Vincent persisted in a softer voice, in response to Lucrecia's obvious distress. "And I know you're lying,"

"I don't know who they are…were," the scientist repeated, sounding calmer than before, though she was worrying at her bottom lip. "However…the professor has used human subjects in his experiments, in the past- they volunteered, it was their choice…"

"You mean to tell me that Hojo is researching something for humans- like a cure for disease?" Vincent felt adrenaline course through his veins; finally, he was getting somewhere.

"I know nothing about his experiments or goals- I only know what the source of both Professor Gast's and Hojo's research is," Lucrecia explained, looking nervous and less than pleased with the Turks line of questioning. "In fact, I have looked into it a little myself…" she admitted, sheepishly.

"And what is it? That they are researching?" Vincent asked, committing everything the scientist was saying to memory. He probably should have been going easier on her, but he was in Turk mode now and the more information he could get out of her, the better.

"I…I can't tell you. It's confidential- I could be fired," she told him, pulling her lab coat tight around her body. Vincent cupped her face in his hands, firmly holding her eyes.

"Who's going to know?" he said in the convincing voice he'd perfected over the years. "This is really important, Lucrecia," the Turk enunciated her name like a verbal caress; the scientist looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights- not for the first time.

"We don't know what it is exactly. The professors have theorised a number of possibilities, but there isn't enough evidence to support any of them, explicitly." Lucrecia spoke fast but clearly, glancing towards the door a number of times due to paranoia. "The bodies you say you found…they might not have been a part of this particular research- I know that Professor Hojo has also been experimenting with…" she trailed off, releasing a breath and closing her eyes on the Turks searching, red-brown ones.

"With…?" Vincent prompted, gently but with a mild note of impatience.

"Mako energy- but I know nothing beyond that. Of how or why he is trying to harness it…" Lucrecia looked emotionally and physically drained, as she hung her head. "I've told you everything I know, I promise. And I really do believe that Hojo had nothing to do with Morgan's disappearance,"

"I don't doubt that," the Turk murmured, stroking her hair back from her face, tenderly. "But either way, I don't trust him." Vincent pressed a kiss to the scientist's forehead and started to turn away. However, Lucrecia threw her arms around him and hid her face in his chest. His eyes widened a bit in surprise, but his arms came around her automatically, in response.

"…Sorry…" the brown haired girls words came out muffled. The Turk held his lips level with her left ear, inhaling her floral scent.

"For what?" he breathed, with no expectation of a straight forward answer.

"For…" she heaved another sigh. "This morning- I left without so much as a thank you or goodbye…"

"Oh. Right. That…" Vincent murmured, thoughts briefly returning to the nightmare he'd had.

"You were sleeping like the dead…I didn't want to disturb you…" she told him, her grip like a vice.

"Don't worry about it," the Turk rubbed his hands up and down her back in soothing motions, before he pulled back. "You're always welcome, okay?"

"Thank you, Mr. Valentine," she smiled half-heartedly. "Vincent," she added hastily, seeing the look on his face. The Turk nudged her nose with his, a smile tugging at his lips and his eyes dancing with an unknown emotion; unknown to both of them. And then he captured her mouth. It was becoming an impulsive habit. Lucrecia would gaze at him for just longer than was appropriate and he would lose track of whatever conversation they'd been having and kiss her. It was all he could do sometimes, to wait for her to finish her sentence, before he succumbed to the need to feel her lips, skin against his own. The Turks mind flooded with the taste of her tongue, the sound of the gasps she was making, and the texture of her neck, as he took up touching his mouth over and over to the bare, sensitive skin it found there. Everything fell away. And that was both thrilling and unnerving at the same time. Eventually, Vincent registered that he had backed her against the lab table and her nails were digging into his arms a little too hard.

"Sorry," he said, resting his forehead on hers, his breathing bordering on panting.

"No, I am- I feel like I'm losing control whenever you…" Lucrecia giggled softly, her cheeks as red as apples.

"I know, you should really learn some restraint, Dr. Crescent," the Turk teased, a smirk lighting his features. The scientist opened her mouth, but she couldn't contain the toothy grin that graced her face.

"Well, Mr. Valentine. You are proving to be quite a distraction," she reached up to run her fingers through the crow-black hair at the back of his head, as she spoke.

"A good distraction," Vincent stated, confidently; Lucrecia raised her eyebrows. "And please, call me Vincent,"

"I don't know if I would call you a 'good' distraction, Mr. Valentine…" the scientist replied, laughing at the perturbed expression he gave her.

"Alright, I'll leave you to your work, since you can't seem to keep your hands off me when I'm here," Vincent placed a kiss on the end of her nose and started for the door.

"Vincent!"

"Yeah?" the person in question said over his shoulder.

"What are you going to do about Professor Hojo?" the Turk paused and looked at the scientists concern.

"Expose him for the inhumane man he really is," he answered, evenly; Lucrecia's forehead creased faintly.

"But you'll be careful?" the brown haired girl asked, looking down at her hands.

"Are you telling me Hojo's dangerous?" Vincent countered easily.

"No, I- just promise," she glanced up at him from under her lashes, something underlying the worry in her eyes.

"Okay, I promise. Hojo can't touch me."

* * *

That night, the Turk was sat in bed, wearing an old, holey t-shirt and joggers and was blindly swinging Cerberus round and round his middle finger. Vincent had definitely gotten more than he'd bargained for in coming on this assignment, but he would see it through to the end. No matter what. So, Hojo might not have been going around murdering people in cold blood, but his 'volunteers' _had_ died and coupled with the strange, aquamarine substance the Turk had seen in Hojo's laboratory, he didn't like the idea of the mad scientist continuing his experiments. However he couldn't just ask nicely and hope the professor had undergone a personality transplant while he wasn't looking. Plus there was the tiny little detail of Hojo and his research belonging to the Shinra Electric Power Company…

_'Damn…I guess I could always kill him and make it look like suicide…'_

A wicked grin grew on Vincent's face as he pictured shooting the scientist repeatedly in the head. The Turks chain of sadistic thought was interrupted then, by a knock at his door.

"Come in," he called warily, as he placed his gun on the bedside table. The Turk looked up to see Lucrecia standing uncertain, in the doorway. "I knew it; you just can't keep away from me," he said, patting the space on the bed next to him. The scientist rolled her eyes and closed the door gently behind her.

"Someone's getting a bit too big for his boots," she commented as she climbed onto the bed and sat facing him, cross-legged.

"Can I ask you something?" Vincent began, drawing a leg up and resting his arm on his knee.

"Fire away…" Lucrecia smiled, attempting to tuck her bangs behind her ears.

"What's between you and Hojo?" the scientist flushed and shook her head slightly, as the Turk watched her with guarded, reddish brown eyes.

"There is nothing between the professor and I," Lucrecia spoke in hushed tones, looking defensive.

"Then why does he act like he owns you?" Vincent asked, lifting Lucrecia's head with the crook of his finger under her chin. Instead of answering, she leaned forward and kissed him. The Turk forced himself back and out of her reach, staring her down; the scientist seemed to push down rising hurt and breathed in deeply.

"Professor Hojo…wants to marry me…" Vincent released a startled laugh, before he saw her serious expression and felt a wave of intense annoyance well up inside him.

"He proposed to you?" he clarified in an incredulous tone.

"Is that so surprising- that someone would want to marry me?" Lucrecia countered, her lip quivering as she looked at him.

"No. What's surprising is that he thought you'd say yes," Vincent told her, smirking through his unrecognisable anger. The scientist dropped her gaze, fidgeting with the bedspread. "Don't tell me you're considering it,"

"No, I'm not- I said no, it's just…" she trailed off, moving to the edge of the bed, so that her back was to him.

"Just what?" the Turk got up and walked around the bed to crouch down in front of her.

"It's not a romantic proposal- he doesn't love me…it would be purely for science…" Lucrecia explained quietly, sounding as though she was talking to herself rather than him.

"All the more reason you shouldn't accept!" Vincent insisted, resting his hands on her knees. After a pause of scanning the scientists anxious features, the Turks expression softened. "And what about me?" Lucrecia's chocolate brown eyes met his.

"What…?"

"Well you have to admit that this isn't exactly an innocent friendship…" the black haired man started, hesitantly. "Unless you don't see it that way…I'm not just a bit of fun- an interesting experience to ease your boredom. Am I…?"

"No! It's not like that- you're not…I mean, I'm not…you are…" Lucrecia went bright red, as she bit down hard on her lip. Vincent quirked his eyebrows up, feeling doubt- and something else- niggling at the back of his mind. "You are…different. You make me feel better about- everything. My life and everything that's gone wrong in it. I…I hope we never have to part, although I'm sure that's inevitable…"

"Lucrecia…" the Turk didn't really know what to say. He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek and smiled when her eyes fluttered closed at the touch. And then he brought his mouth up to meet hers. He made the kiss long and lingering, time and space seemed to slow and stop altogether, just like always. Vincent felt something akin to happiness, but it had been so long since he'd had that kind of emotion, he couldn't be certain. His lips and tongue became desperate when he thought of the moment when he'd have to leave and return to Midgar. He didn't know how it had happened, but the thought of being away from the fragile scientist was suddenly too much to bear. In just a few movements, the scientist and the Turk were lying, tangled on his bed, their breathing laboured and their skin hot. Vincent sensed Lucrecia tugging his t-shirt up at the back and quickly discarded it on the floor. Lucrecia ran her hands over the planes of his back and around to the tight muscles of his torso. The Turk made a path down her neck, from the hollow beneath her ear to her collarbone, smiling at the moans she was making. He slid a hand under her pyjama top, stroking the smooth skin of her stomach, inching higher and higher, until his fingers glided over the cotton material of her bra. Since Lucrecia made no sound of protest, he skilfully unclipped the clasp at the back and caught her newly, exposed right breast with his mouth. The scientist gasped and squirmed under him, but her fingers came up to twist into his dark locks, holding him in place.

"Vincent…Vincent…"

As the Turk switched to her left breast, he slipped his hand below the waistband of her bottoms and started to move his fingers inside of her cotton underwear.

"Vincent!" Lucrecia slapped his hand away immediately, causing him to roll off her.

"Oops…" the Turk chuckled nervously, rubbing his neck as the scientist righted her top and got off the bed. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's alright…" Lucrecia smiled, still a little breathless. "It was a bit of a shock- we were going too fast…"

"I know. I wont pressure you or-" Vincent started to reassure her but she cut him off.

"I'm a virgin," the scientist already red, darkened even more as she edged towards the door.

"Oh…well, I kind of guessed…" the Turk blushed along his cheekbones, irritated by his lack of composure.

"Was it that obvious?" Lucrecia replied, looking unhappy, as her hand flew to her neck while the other felt behind her for the door handle.

"No, I mean, I…"

"Goodnight, Mr. Valentine!" the scientist blurted and ran from the room. Vincent looked on, both bemused and worried. Eventually he lay back, resting his head on his arms and sighed.

_'What a handful…'_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter XI; Day 21**

* * *

All through the next day, Vincent kept his eye on Hojo, regardless of the fact that even if he gained proof of any sordid, possibly illegal goings on, he probably wouldn't be able to do much, with Shinra being involved. But if the scientist were to get his hands on another- human- test subject, the Turk wanted to know about it and see what exactly they were being used for. Lucrecia stole him away late afternoon, for another picnic, but they stayed in the back garden this time. Not that it was much of a garden; it was a green, the grass healthy and one or two wild flowers here or there. A tall forest closed them in and there were only two barely-there paths on either side, that lead around to the front of the mansion. Vincent frowned slightly up at the sky and the thickening clouds drifting by, before helping the young scientist with the faded, patchwork picnic blanket, she'd found at the back of a closet. She smiled over at him as she handed him a flask of what he assumed was hot chocolate. Lucrecia was calm and casual, seeming to have chosen to forget about the previous night, but the Turk was somewhat grateful for that.

"Have you eaten today?" she asked, offering him a clumsily put together bagel; it had been cut in half jaggedly and Vincent guessed it had been done with a butter knife. "It's just ham- I didn't know what you'd like…"

"You made this? For me?" the Turk raised an eyebrow, allowing a small smile to break through his default blank expression. Lucrecia's cheeks turned pink as she looked at the food in his hands and his reaction.

"Yes," she nodded as she took a sip from her own flask. "Is it okay?" Vincent, realising belatedly that she'd been waiting for him to take a bite, did just that and silently hoped he hadn't bitten off more than he could chew. The bread was a bit tough- it had most likely started going stale- but the meat was good and she had buttered both pieces of bagel, if not a little too well.

"It's really good, thank you," the Turk chuckled lightly as he watched the scientists smile widen into a grin. "So, how's your thesis coming along?"

"Oh, well, it's…" Lucrecia's smile faltered and she glanced away.

"That bad, huh?" Vincent took a gulp from his drink and frowned momentarily in confusion, slowly registering the taste of tea instead of hot chocolate. The scientist was miles away, absently picking at her cuticles.

"It's always too good to be true…" she murmured, lost in her head. The Turk stayed quiet for a few seconds, trying to read her thoughts and failing. She'd told him that he made her feel better, but with one sentence, the haunted, melancholic look had returned to her eyes.

"What's too good…?" he prompted finally, startling her a bit by his abruptness.

"Oh, nothing! Forget I said anything," she flushed, waving her hands out in front of her.

"It must have been something," Vincent replied, risking the result of her hiding her thoughts away from him completely.

"Well, yes…my thesis- just when I think I'm getting somewhere, I end up back in square one…" she shrugged and laughed, but it sounded false and forced. The Turk let the subject drop, although he knew there was something she wasn't saying. It was frustrating, especially since he was picking up on the vibe that it was something he should know. "It's umm…it's your fathers birthday tomorrow, isn't it?"

"…Yes," Vincent wasn't sure how they'd gone from the topic of her thesis to his father and it took him a couple breaths to catch up with the scientists thought process. "How did you know?"

"Oh, I don't know," she responded hastily, getting a bit flustered. "Photographic memory? I must have read it somewhere…" the Turk didn't buy it but he let that drop too.

_'She must have been a big fan of his work…I guess all those late nights paid off. In the end…'_

"I see,"

"Are you going to do something special?" Lucrecia smiled softly at him, before finishing off the banana she'd been eating. Vincent looked down at the half-eaten bagel in his lap, suppressing a sigh. When his mother had died, he and Grimoire would make a lantern twice a year- one on her birthday and one on the anniversary of her death- and release them. That all came to a stop the year Vincent turned sixteen, when his father had forgotten to take the afternoon off on his wife's birthday and the boy had had to make and set off the lantern by himself. Vincent had gone off like a shotgun, when his father had gotten home; he'd let him have all the pent up anger and misery and hurt, he'd bottled up over the years since his mother had died. For the rest of Grimoire's life, the only effort Vincent had made to be near him was by joining the Turks. And although he wouldn't admit it aloud, his fathers act of respecting his sons silence had only made the Turk feel more alone than ever. "…Mr. Valentine?"

"Huh?" Vincent's reddish brown eyes were met with concerned, chocolate brown ones. "I'm sorry," he shook his head in an attempt to clear it; his black hair fell over his right eye.

"You should do something…" Lucrecia told him gently, placing her hand on his. "I could go into town…buy a cake?"

"No, it's alright," the Turk said wearily, chugging down his tea, which had grown lukewarm.

"But it's his birthday," the scientist looked upset, like a little girl whose lollipop had just been taken from her.

"Birthdays for the dead, are for people who've all but been forgotten about for the rest of the year," Vincent said decisively, though his expression was bleak. "I think about my father- and my mother- everyday. Tomorrow will be no different,"

"Fine, then you won't mind meeting me in the drawing room tomorrow evening," Lucrecia relented, as a determined look crossed her face.

"What for?" Vincent asked, cautiously.

"Something perfectly un-celebratory," the scientist replied; the Turk gave her a doubtful look. "Just meet me there," she added and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter XII; Day 22**

* * *

"Mr. Valentine, you came,"

Vincent sighed and slowly crossed the drawing room to pour himself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Despite the fact that he couldn't stand white wine, there was no red in sight and he needed a drink after the long day. He spent a lot of it worrying that Lucrecia would subject him to a candled cake, balloons and party hats. Now, he felt stupid for even thinking such ridiculous thoughts- he guessed he didn't know her quite as well as he'd thought. But he would, eventually. The scientist, with her brown hair clipped up at the back- except her bangs- had dressed in a knee-length, black skirt, ankle boots and a dark purple, button-up top which hugged her body nicely. She gestured for him to join her on the chaise longue, as she smiled up at him.

"Good evening," the Turk murmured, hesitantly sitting down beside her.

"How was your day?" Lucrecia asked tentatively, angling herself towards him; Vincent absently swished his drink around in its glass.

"…Good,"

"Good," the scientist nodded, clasping her hands together in her lap.

"You look especially beautiful tonight," the Turk stated, casting an eye over her again. "So, what's the plan?" Lucrecia flushed, looking pleased as she self-consciously fingered her hair.

"Thank you. I thought we could go to the Nibelheim local pub. I've never been myself, but I hear they do food…if you'd like to?" Vincent downed the rest of his glass of wine and set it down on the end table, before standing and offering the scientist his hand.

"Shall we?" Lucrecia eagerly took his hand firmly in hers and got to her feet.

"Great- that saves me from having to drag you…" she told him as they walked to the door. Vincent shot her an amused look and shook his head.

"Damn, I would have liked to see that," the Turk said, smirking slightly.

"I'm sure you would have," Lucrecia replied, as he held the door open for her. "You seem to like teasing me,"

"Well, you're so easily flustered," Vincent shrugged, deliberately resting his eyes on her for an indecent amount of time; her cheeks quickly reddened.

"You are mean, Mr. Valentine," the scientist huffed a little, looking away from him. The Turk stopped between her and the front door and leaned down towards her; when she automatically began to bring her mouth up to his, he pulled back with a broad grin.

"Well, if I'm so mean, it clearly doesn't bother you." The scientist rolled her eyes and brushed past him out to the cold outdoors. "Don't you need a coat or something? You'll freeze…" Vincent called, even as he fetched her long, dark blue coat from the stand. Lucrecia reluctantly turned back and let the Turk help her into her coat.

"Thank you," she said, poorly fighting the smile that was attempting to grace her face.

"No problem," Vincent's hands lingered on her arms for a moment, as he watched her expression soften further.

"Well, um, should…shall we go?" Lucrecia looked down at her feet, unable to hold his red-brown gaze.

"Not yet," just when the scientist looked up, the Turk kissed her. She froze, startled by the sudden action, but she relaxed and returned the pressure gladly. "There. Now we can go," Vincent murmured once he'd broken the kiss. Lucrecia blinked a couple times, feeling dazed before she nodded and the two headed hand in hand, down the path.

* * *

When they arrived at the pub, they ignored the stares and out-right glares, which the locals sent in their direction- or rather Vincent's- and settled at a table for two.

"It sure is friendly here," Vincent commented dryly under his breath, but his attention stayed on Lucrecia, as he felt the eyes boring into the side of his face. His cheekbones heated up a bit under the scrutiny, but he smothered his annoyance the best he could. A waitress soon came to their table, a guarded expression on her face, which challenged the Turks own.

"What'll you have?"

They ordered wine and some dinner, although Vincent wasn't particularly hungry. The waitress brought over the bottle of red wine and two glasses and left again without so much as pouring them each a drink. The Turk quirked his eyebrows at Lucrecia and did the honours himself.

"It's quite cosy in here," the scientist decided, glancing around as she sipped her wine; the Turk snorted, looking mildly bemused. "A part from the…er, looks, that is…" she added, fiddling with her hair.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Vincent said, as he leant his chin on his fist. "It's better than staying in that gloomy mansion, at least,"

"Right," Lucrecia smiled at him in agreement. "Well then. A toast to your father? That is why we are here after all…" she lifted her glass up, looking at the Turk expectantly.

"Are you sure that wasn't just an excuse to have dinner with me?" Vincent smirked, partly to see her blush for the umpteenth time and partly to distract her from the topic of his father.

"No! That isn't, I mean, I…" the scientist flushed, shaking her head vigorously before it dawned on her. "Oh…you were teasing me again…" she grimaced inwardly, giving Vincent a weak shove that only made him laugh.

"I'm sorry, you're right. Though my father would have wanted us to have a good time, rather than mourn this day," the Turk backtracked, seeing her glum face, and his own growing more serious with every word. Lucrecia reached her hand over the table to grasp his, but her eyes continued to avoid eye-contact.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered, closing her eyes altogether before she took her hand back.

"You are always apologising and I still have no idea why…" Vincent murmured, frowning faintly; he sighed, when the scientist remained silent. "To my father: Grimoire Valentine…" Lucrecia looked up and after a beat picked up her glass again.

"Dr. Valentine," the clink of their glasses making contact, echoed around them as the Turk held the scientists fragile, chocolate brown eyes.

* * *

Back at Shinra Manor, the pair stood at the bottom of the staircase in the foyer, hands entwined.

"Thanks for tonight," Vincent told her, smiling gently down at her.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me," Lucrecia protested, smiling shyly. "I'm grateful to you for spending the evening with me…"

"It's not the first time," the Turk pointed out, giving her a knowing look.

"Yes…" the scientist glanced away. "I'm sorry it didn't turn out very Dr. Valentine-centred…"

"There you go apologising again," Vincent chuckled, shaking his black hair out of his right eye. "Well…goodnight,"

"Goodnight, Mr. Valentine,"

"Vincent," the Turk corrected with an imploring expression. "You've called me it before,"

"Yes I know, but…" Lucrecia breathed in and flashed a grin. "Very well. Goodnight, Vincent…"

"Goodnight. Lucrecia." The Turk drew her in for a deep kiss and then let her go. He watched her ascend the stairs and disappear down the landing, before he retreated to his own bedroom. Vincent fell asleep soundly that night.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter XIII; Day 23**

* * *

The following day, Vincent was more relaxed. His hourly patrols were as diligent as ever, but he felt his spirits lifted and a miniscule- but present nonetheless- spring in his step. He pondered whether it was the beginning of the visible effect that Lucrecia Crescent was having on him, or whether it was merely the relief of having a regular, friendly face in his life. He'd had friends growing up and had even stayed in touch with a couple of them after starting his Turk training. But the more he learnt and the more missions he went on, it eventually occurred to him why most Turks were single and it was rare for one to have a friendship at all, let alone outside of the company. Vincent quickly grew used to the lifestyle and let go of any feeling of regret for having cut his ties; life as a Turk was lonely, but it was also dangerous and it was best that no one get too close to him. Of course, that notion had been thrown out of the window now. And although his newfound relationship was secure in its environment, the Turk still asked himself why he was continuing it- he wouldn't be in Nibelheim forever. It was almost shocking that he was holding onto a tiny ray of hope, as he hadn't realised he had any left in him. However, there was no denying that the more of himself that he opened up for Lucrecia to see, the less he could imagine going back to Midgar and resuming his life without her. She had become a constant in his life and since it took as little as simply knowing she was within walking distance, should he desire her company, he dreaded the inevitable day when he wouldn't even have that. It was clear to him that their resistance was futile, but still he made no move to put an end to their growing bond. And he was both grateful and dismayed that neither had she. In fact, he could sense her beginning to increasingly rely on him, for his words and smiles and general affection. Vincent had never experienced anything like it before. He was usually the dependent one, whether it was obvious or not. And he did depend on the scientist; he just couldn't get his head around her needing him. It was a strange feeling, as if he had gone to bow down at her feet, only to find that she was already kneeling on the floor at his. It was when experiencing feelings like these that the black haired Turks mind would become fanciful, conjuring thoughts that perhaps they were made for each other, and that no one else could ever fully understand them, the way they could each other. But that's how Vincent knew he was being daft; he _didn't_ fully understand Lucrecia. Just when he'd start to feel like he was getting closer to her, she would say- or not say- something which would baffle him. And when that would happen, she wouldn't explain or give any hint to her meaning. So Vincent had to accept that if he wanted to know, he would have to wait for her to tell him. And if she never told him, then he supposed they weren't meant to be after all. He didn't like that idea, but it was out of his hands. Not that that didn't frustrate him to no end- he was a Turk, and one of the traits of being a Turk meant digging until there was nothing left to find. From that point of view, it seemed that a relationship between he and the scientist would never work, but there didn't seem to be any turning back now, so really it was too late to be having second thoughts, or anticipating what was to become of them. Vincent would just have to live each day as it came and make the most of it. With this in mind, on the way to his room that night, he slid a note under Lucrecia's bedroom door.

_Come see me tonight,_

_Vincent_

The scientist had been busy all day, working with Professor Gast and the Turk had decided that everyday- especially on days like this- he would spend time with her, whether it be an hour or a minute. Depending on how long she was down in her laboratory working, Vincent knew he could be in for a long wait, but he didn't care as long as he got to be with her, eventually.

* * *

The Turk was lying on his side in bed, with just his boxers on, when he vaguely heard his door creak open and closed. For a brief moment, he thought about reaching for Cerberus, but that soon past when he registered the light, almost soundless footfalls that could only belong to one person. He smiled as he felt her slip into bed behind him and curl up against his back.

"Hey, you," Vincent murmured sleepily, taking the hand that was pressed against his chest in his own.

"Did I wake you?" came the soft, whispered reply.

"Not really," the Turk answered, brushing his thumb backwards and forwards over the back of her hand.

"I was working with Professor Gast today…" she began, hesitantly.

"Mhm…?"

"It's become quite apparent what President Shinra is trying to achieve with the use of Je- the, um…recent find, or rather its cells…" Vincent's mind sped up, all remnants of sleep that attempted to call him back into their grasp, dissipating.

"I'm not sure I'm going to like where this is going but, go on…" he said wearily, eyes focused on the wall straight ahead of him.

"They want to…" Lucrecia took a deep breath, evidently conflicted as to whether she should tell the Turk or not. "Create a genetically-enhanced soldier. Well, an elite force of soldiers, to be precise…"

"And these cells that I assume they're going to inject into people…what are they? What is their origin?" Vincent asked cautiously, his head already ticking over with the possibilities.

"They are…not human." The scientist told him, reluctantly. "And there's something else…"

"I'm sure I can guess," the Turk muttered, the previous feeling of foreboding having returned, even worse than before.

"I am to assist the Professors in their research and maybe the experiments too, when we get to that point…" she admitted, quietly. Vincent released a muted sigh and closed his eyes again. He knew sleep wouldn't come to him now, but it was too late to think, let alone talk about this new information. No, they would discuss it tomorrow, when they could both think clearly.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter XIV; Day 24**

* * *

"You do realise this is wrong?"

It was lunchtime the next day and the Turk and the scientist were down in the latter's laboratory. Lucrecia had snuck back to her own room again, early that morning before Vincent had woken. But he wasn't ready to let her off that easily.

"That is a matter of opinion…" the scientist argued, without looking at him and fidgeting uncomfortably, with her lab coat.

"Are you telling me you don't agree?" Vincent returned, in an incredulous tone. He moved towards her, invading her personal space.

"I'm a scientist…" Lucrecia murmured, shooting him an apologetic look. "This new discovery- it's amazing and the theories…it's possible it belongs to a humanoid species, previously thought to have become extinct long ago," the Turk could see and hear the excitement seeping through, despite her best efforts to contain it.

"Lucrecia. That's not what we're talking about; we're talking about whether its morally right to use this…this being, to mess with peoples DNA," Vincent could feel the heat rising to his face and lacing his words, but he had to at least try and dissuade her from her involvement in the research.

"That doesn't come into it- we will only experiment on volunteers. They have a choice…" the scientist insisted, worrying at her bottom lip, in response to the frown etched on the Turks face.

"But will they know what it is that you'll be injecting them with? Will _you_ know?" Vincent pressed, folding his arms and trying to lessen the hard note in his voice. "What if it's not what you think it is? What if it's not of this world at all?"

"'What if, what if', we've barely started working on it," Lucrecia sighed, picking at her cuticles and continuing to avoid eye-contact.

"You said the Professors had already begun theorising…" the Turk countered, his jaw clenching and unclenching. "Can you promise me, that you wont do anything with its cells until you know for sure what it is and if it's safe or not?" the scientist slowly began to shake her head, but before she could open her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by a familiar, yet unwelcome voice.

"Dr. Crescent does not need to promise you a thing." He stepped out of the shadows of the doorway, locking his hands behind his back and fixing his beady eyes on Vincent. "And neither do I, or Professor Gast for that matter."

"This was a private conversation," the Turk said pointedly, sensing Lucrecia shift closer to him, like he was her shield.

"The key word in that sentence being _was_." Hojo barked, cutting his gaze between the brown haired girl and the Turk. "And you are not entitled to express your opinion on our studies of science."

"What do you want? Why are you here?" Vincent narrowed his eyes at the middle aged man, his hands balled at his sides. "If it's for Dr. Crescent, then you can forget it. She's busy,"

"Is that so?" Hojo said rhetorically, a faint sneer stretching his mouth. "The last time I checked, the girl could speak for herself." the Turk suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, just as Lucrecia came out from hiding behind him and clasping her hands together in front of her. Only Vincent could read the tension in her shoulders and beneath her calm expression.

"What can I do for you, Professor Hojo?" the Turk was silently surprised, but he created a perfectly blank mask to conceal it.

"Well get out then, boy." The hunched scientist ordered, flashing Vincent a terrible grin. "Meddlesome fool." He muttered as the Turk briskly walked to the door. He only paused to send Lucrecia a raised eyebrow, before scowling once at Hojo's back and leaving.

* * *

In the corridor he quietly fumed, wondering why he was always the one turned away, in favour of Hojo. After power-walking up to his bedroom and slamming the door behind him, Vincent released a noise of exasperation and booted his chest of draws. He ran his hands through his hair a few times, before he started pacing and going over and over his conversation with Lucrecia and the way she'd all but sided with Hojo. He still couldn't believe that she'd agreed to be a part of a project, that's goal was to alter humans into better killing machines. All for the Shinra Electric Power Company: the very company that he worked for. But that wasn't the only thing that irked the Turk; whatever emotional hold he may have over Lucrecia, it was nothing compared to that of Hojo's utter control over her. No wonder his superiority complex was so severe, when he had Lucrecia doing whatever he told her to. She may have a naturally, submissive personality, but it seemed to intensify absurdly when it came to her decrepit, fellow scientist. Vincent came to a stop and sunk down onto his bed. There was a faint knock on the door, just as he covered his eyes with a hand.

"Mr. Valentine…?" the scientist with the chocolate brown eyes, hesitantly poked her head around the door, looking concerned. The Turk raised his head and gestured for her to enter. "I know you probably think badly of me, but this is my decision. And as a Shinra Class A scientist, this is a huge opportunity for me. One that I can't turn down- one that I don't want to turn down…" she sighed heavily, looking down at her feet. She looked so defeated that Vincent couldn't help but get up and console her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the top of her head.

"I think I understand." the Turk murmured in reassurance, even though it wasn't strictly true. "But as you said, it's your decision to make. It doesn't matter what I think,"

"No, I care about what you think of me, I do," Lucrecia said, her voice muffled by his chest. "And I'm sorry that you're unhappy with my choice,"

"But you won't change your mind,"

"No…" the scientist tilted her head up to look at his face.

"Okay." He breathed, shutting his eyes and resting his forehead on hers. "Let's not talk about it again,"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter XV; Intermission**

* * *

**Lucrecia:** "Vincent…?"

**Vincent:** "…Mhm?"

**Lucrecia:** "Are you awake?"

**Vincent:** "Mhm…"

**Lucrecia:** "Do you think that…sins can ever truly be forgiven?"

**Vincent:** "I don't know. I haven't tried…"

**Lucrecia:** "Oh, well of course- I'm sure you've never done something so…bad,"

**Vincent:** "I've done worse, Lucrecia. Surely you know that about me…"

**Lucrecia:** "That's right, you are a Turk…"

**Vincent:** "I don't think its something you can really earn. You can try, but it depends on the person you've…wronged,"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "I guess the important thing is to try, whether they care or not. So that someday you can forgive yourself,"

**Lucrecia:** "Then why haven't you tried?"

**Vincent:** "Because the things I've done…I don't deserve anyone's forgiveness. And my reason for joining the Turks was selfish to begin with,"

**Lucrecia:** "Why did you…?"

**Vincent:** "To protect my father so that I wouldn't be completely alone in the world. I guess karma finally got to me,"

**Lucrecia:** "I don't believe that. You wanted to protect your father because you love him…loved him…"

**Vincent:** "That may be true, but it's also true that I didn't want to be alone,"

**Lucrecia:** "But you're not. You have me- is that not karma doing you a kindness?"

**Vincent:** "And what about Morgan Price? I couldn't protect him or my father,"

**Lucrecia:** "There was no way you could have saved your father- he was taken from you,"

**Vincent:** "…?"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "Why all this talk of redemption? Wont you tell me what it is that you've done, which you think is so bad?"

**Lucrecia:** "A part from condoning experiments on humans, using cells from an unclassified life form?"

**Vincent:** "That's not what I was talking about and you know it,"

**Lucrecia:** "You can read me like a book,"

**Vincent:** "If only…"

**Lucrecia:** "I made a…a bad decision and someone I respected and admired got…hurt because of it. That's my sin…"

**Vincent:** "And did they hold it against you?"

**Lucrecia:** "…No…"

**Vincent:** "Don't you think that means they've forgiven you?"

**Lucrecia:** "I don't deserve it. But they are not the person who I need forgiveness from- and I could never hope he'd understand if he found out…"

**Vincent:** "Lucrecia…you're crying…"

**Lucrecia:** "I'm so sorry…"

**Vincent:** "Don't cry…I'm here,"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "You know, it's not healthy to bottle up all this guilt inside you. And you'll never know if they'd understand, unless you tell them…"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "Yeah?"

* * *

**Vincent:** "So what was your brother like?"

**Lucrecia:** "Lochan was…very mature for his age. I guess he had to be, so that he could look out for me and deal with being sick so often- hospital check ups, missing school just because he had a cold. We were both still young then and we hadn't seen our father since he abandoned us. Our grandparents seemed relieved that he never came back- I didn't understand then, but I think I do now…Lochan didn't seem to mind, although he was just as conscious as me, that we were some of the only kids at school who had one or no parents. Nothing phased him…we both kept to ourselves, even though girls would often invite me to join them and boys would ask him to play football or some other sport with them. He said that they probably felt sorry for us- and that was why they never let up at all. At the time I believed him, but now I think he just wanted to keep me by his side…because he knew he didn't have much time left…"

**Vincent:** "Do you regret it?"

**Lucrecia:** "No. I'm glad he spent his last years close to me…besides there was this one girl- Melody. She would always say hello to us- but she never pressured us to join in. And not long after Lochan died, I asked her round for dinner and she said she'd love to. Of course my grandparents were surprised, but they seemed elated that I'd made a friend- especially since they were more worried about me than usual. Her parents weren't home- they were hardly ever home in fact, because they owned a hotel in Kalm and were called away a lot for business. So she practically moved in with us soon after that, despite her own house being twice the size of ours. She was my best friend…sorry, I'm babbling now…"

**Vincent:** "What happened to her?"

**Lucrecia:** "She was sent away to boarding school. We wrote to each other constantly- she was having a tough time with the other girls…but by the time I'd graduated and gotten a job within the Shinra Science Department, we'd lost touch with each other. Two years ago I read in a paper that she'd…"

**Vincent:** "…"

**Lucrecia:** "She jumped off the roof of an apartment block near the Shinra building."

**Vincent:** "…That's terrible,"

**Lucrecia:** "I didn't even know she was in Midgar,"

**Vincent: **"Wasn't her school in Midgar?"

**Lucrecia:** "No, it was in the middle of nowhere, in Icicle Area,"

**Vincent:** "I wonder if she tried to contact you,"

**Lucrecia:** "I thought that myself, but if she had, I never heard about it…I wish I'd been there for her, even though she'd probably forgotten me,"

**Vincent:** "I doubt anyone could forget you,"

**Lucrecia:** "Well, you _would_ say that, wouldn't you?"

**Vincent:** "It made you smile though,"

**Lucrecia:** "It did…thank you. Vincent…"

**Vincent:** "Any time,"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "…"

* * *

**Lucrecia:** "I can't believe you did this- for me…"

**Vincent:** "I thought it would be a nice change,"

**Lucrecia:** "This tastes so good…did you take lessons?"

**Vincent:** "No…its just pasta with chicken and cheese in it…pasta based meals are the quickest and easiest to make when it comes to dinner; I got sick of always eating out or ordering take away, so I taught myself the basics,"

**Lucrecia:** "The basics? Can you teach me?"

**Vincent:** "I guess…you can't cook at all?"

**Lucrecia:** "No, my grandmother couldn't either- it was my grandfather who did the cooking in our house, but he never had time to teach me, since he ran the local weapons shop…"

**Vincent:** "Alright. I'll teach you what I know, but it's not much,"

**Lucrecia:** "Even so, I look forward to it!"

**Vincent:** "It should be…interesting,"

**Lucrecia:** "Yes,"

* * *

**Vincent:** "Did you enjoy your food?"

**Lucrecia:** "Yes. Thank you, Vincent,"

**Vincent:** "Good,"

**Lucrecia:** "Um…I want to tell you something…"

**Vincent:** "What's wrong?"

**Lucrecia:** "Nothing- never mind…"

**Vincent:** "No, go on…is this about your quest for redemption?"

**Lucrecia:** "Well, yes…no- it's not that. Forget I said anything,"

**Vincent:** "…"

**Lucrecia:** "You know this…thing between you and I…?"

**Vincent:** "Relationship,"

**Lucrecia:** "Yes…how um…how er, serious are you…about this…?"

**Vincent:** "What do you mean?"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "I don't plan on going anywhere without you, if that's what you mean,"

**Lucrecia:** "…Really?"

**Vincent:** "Yeah…"

**Lucrecia:** "That makes me happy…"

**Vincent:** "Then why do you look sad?"

**Lucrecia:** "Because I…I think that I might have…fallen in love with you…"

**Vincent:** "…"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "…And that's a bad thing?"

**Lucrecia:** "No, but I know I will only end up hurting you even more. So it's wrong for me to want you to stay…"

**Vincent:** "Even more? Lucrecia, you haven't hurt me…"

**Lucrecia:** "You have…no idea…"

**Vincent:** "Listen to me. All I know is that I don't regret coming here. Because by coming here I met you and…you make me feel like life…is worth living…"

**Lucrecia:** "…"

**Vincent:** "Even if this is what I am- a Turk, a murderer, a liar- I know now that I can still be loved by someone: By you. No matter how unworthy I am,"

**Lucrecia:** "Vincent…"

**Vincent:** "And I don't want anyone's love but yours,"

**Lucrecia:** "…It seems you're stuck with me then…"

**Vincent:** "I guess I am,"

* * *

_Vincent couldn't tell where he was. Everything was coated in black smoke. All but one thing; his face was illuminated by a spotlight, his skin emanating a weird green shimmer, that stung the Turks eyes. His emerald eyes were blood-shot and shadowed and his wavy, brunette hair stuck to his face and neck._

_"…Morgan?" Vincent stepped towards him slowly, as if he were a frightened child. "Morgan,"_

_"You…look…familiar…" the secretary said in a peculiar voice; the emotion lacing his tone, bipolar. The Turk hesitated, his eyebrows pulling together._

_"It's me. Vincent,"_

_"Vincent…Valentine…_I knew someone_…" Morgan's pupils kept dilating and contracting, as he stared at the black haired Turk, who was surreptitiously reaching for Cerberus. He didn't withdraw it- he only rested his hand on the scorching metal, as the bad feeling in his stomach intensified._

_"Yeah, I'm Vincent Valentine. And you are Morgan Price," he told the secretary cautiously, scanning his face for any sign of recognition._

_"Vincent…saved…my…life…once…"_

_"I did?" Vincent moved closer, trying to think back to when they'd first arrived in Nibel. "Do you remember what happened?"_

_"…I…could…see…_he liked her_…" sweat was running down Morgan's face and clinging to his thick locks of hair, but the only smell filling the confined space was a strange combination of chemicals and freshly cut grass. "…I…didn't…want…to…say…anything…_but I should have warned him_…"_

_"Warned him of what?" Vincent asked, his gun momentarily forgotten, as he tried to school away the confusion on his face._

_"…Should…have…told…_Vincent Valentine_…"_

_"Told me what?" the Turk said, trying to keep his frustration under control. "What is it that no ones told me?"_

_"…Arghhhhh…ahhhhh…" Vincent watched in alarm, as his former colleague began screaming in obvious agony._

_"Morgan?!" he attempted to run forward, but he found that he couldn't move his legs. He reached out, as the claustrophobia and panic started to set in, but he was too far away. "What is it? What's happening?!" the secretary groaned as his head fell limp. Vincent was breathing through his nose, his heart pounding, as he waited for Morgan to raise his head. When he did, all the Turks anxiety briefly lifted._

_"Vincent…" for a blink of an eye, Morgan returned Vincent's relieved expression, a smile forming on his lips. But then his eyes rolled back in his head._

_"Morgan?!" the Turk desperately tried to force his legs to move, but they wouldn't budge. When the secretary's eyes rolled back down a second later, they were onyx-black, with no whites and no distinction between the iris and pupil. "What the hell…" the dream ended with Morgan's skin and flesh tearing away from his bones and Vincent drowning in the piercing static of white noise._


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter XVI; Day 54**

* * *

It had been a long month, although to Vincent Valentine it had seemed to fly by. He and Lucrecia had continued to grow closer, even as they avoided talking about her work and Hojo altogether. The Turk knew it wasn't the best basis for their relationship, but he was the least willing to burst the intangible bubble they'd immersed themselves in. But even as the days got short and sweeter, Vincent's nights became decreasingly bearable. He'd always been prone to nightmares ever since he was a child. He would wake screaming in the middle of the night and his mother would rush to his bedroom and tuck him back in, whispering reassurances in a soothing voice. He was always swallowed up by nostalgia whenever he recalled his mothers singing lulling him to sleep. Back in the present, dreams of Morgan Price were becoming more frequent, so much so that the Turk had started questioning whether it was a sign. Whether it was the green-eyed secretary calling out to him for help. Or whether it was merely, a symptom of the guilt that clawed at his heart during his waking hours, which were becoming never-ending. He hadn't mentioned any of it to Lucrecia; Morgan being another topic they didn't speak of. But Vincent knew she would only dismiss his worry, or come up with a plausible enough excuse that they could delude themselves with. He was struggling not to be influenced by the scientist's way of seeing, but it was hard. More than he ever had before, he wished for ignorance, especially when it came to Lucrecia, her work and Hojo's power over her. He didn't want to know, but he did. And he didn't want to lose her, so he was forced to turn a blind eye. She had woven herself into the very fabric of his life and he had a feeling- and an unexplainable fear- that their futures were now forever entwined. There was no going back. It took the Turk some time to come to terms with it, but eventually his concerns faded away. The only remaining anxiety he felt, stemmed from his colleagues having fallen off the face of Gaia…

"Vincent…? Vincent, are you listening to me?" the Turk shook his crow-black hair out of his right eye and glanced over at the scientist. She'd braided her brown hair together with her yellow ribbon winding in and out of it and had dressed casually, in jeans and a knee-length, army green jacket that had a fur-lined hood. Lucrecia needed to hike up to the Mount Nibel Reactor, for reasons she hadn't given and he hadn't wanted to know, and had insisted on Vincent going with her. It was true that the trip there and back would be dangerous and although Professor Gast, Hojo and Lucrecia had been given a gun each as protection, there was no way the Turk was going to let her go alone. So he'd agreed however reluctant he was about it, despite the fact that technically he wasn't allowed to leave the immediate vicinity of Nibelheim. It wasn't like Morgan was here to report back on his misconduct anyway.

"You ready?" Vincent said as he zipped his jacket up so that it covered the bottom part of his face. He was in casual wear too, fingerless gloves on his hands, legs clad in black jeans and a number of layers beneath his jacket. Lucrecia rolled her eyes, absently taking his hand in hers and pulling him through the front door of the mansion and out into the frosty air.

* * *

It was an hour and fifteen minutes later, when they reached the reactor, red cheeked and eyes watering from the biting wind. Not to mention that Vincent had had to fight off a number of monsters at the same time as preventing them from laying a filthy talon or a slimy tentacle on Lucrecia. He hadn't broken much of a sweat, but his tension was significantly heightened with the scientist there. He had never been assigned someone's protection before, let alone had someone present during a fight that he didn't want harmed in any way. Though to her credit, she did shoot at and manage to clip a wolf's hind leg and a Zuu's wing, even if she did almost shoot Vincent once or twice.

Now, they ascended the rickety, steel steps that lead up to the entrance of the reactor.

"I didn't expect this one to be as big as those back in Midgar," the Turk commented, half to himself.

"All the reactors over the world are equal in size," the scientist informed him with a smile.

"I guess that makes sense," Vincent replied non-committal, as they entered through a wide, metal door. Inside, he felt like the structure was even larger. He followed the scientist on to a room with even more steel; a set of bright red stairs ran up the middle and stopped before a secure door, with a plaque reading 'JENOVA' nailed above it. On either side of the staircase, strange pods lined the space in rows, hooked up to Vincent had no idea what, with thick tubing. Lucrecia was already climbing the stairs and paused to look back at the uncertain Turk.

"Are you coming…?"

"Coming where exactly?" he returned, as he cautiously started after her up to the mysterious, probably sealed room.

"This is where we keep the being Shinra found within that two-thousand year old rock layer," the scientist explained, as she punched in a ten digit access code, which the Turk automatically memorised.

"…You gave it a name?" he said, the only change in his expression the raising of his eyebrow.

"Yes. Jenova," Vincent didn't like the name or the way Lucrecia had said it; it was as if the scientists were treating the still unspecified thing as a saint- or a saviour. His thoughts were emphasised when his sceptical, reddish brown eyes landed on the aluminium sculpture that appeared to be impersonating an angel.

"So where is it?" the Turk asked gradually, feeling his curiosity pique none the less.

"Here," Lucrecia pulled a lever on the wall. The floor opened up and the 'angel' descended below them into darkness before the floor closed itself once again. Vincent's eyes drifted upwards, along the twelve inch wide, red tube. "This is, Jenova,"

* * *

_Alien_. That was the first thing Vincent Valentine thought when he looked into the eyes of 'Jenova'- her only visible one, to be precise. It glowed a piercing, ruby colour and although it didn't appear to be focused on anything or anyone, the Turk got the eerie feeling that if he moved, it would follow him around the room. Jenova had the body of a female human, although that was where the similarities ended. Its skin was a dull shade of grey and protruding from it in several places were aorta-like tubes, which connected to what seemed to be its organs; the one sticking out of Jenova's abdomen wound down to attach to what appeared to be a giant heart, at its feet. Vincent suppressed a shudder as he swiftly averted his eyes from its right breast, which had an eye in place of its nipple. Long silvery-white hair hung on either side of Jenova's face, parted down the middle. There was thick metal gear fastened to its head and the Turk had a sick feeling that the fleshy bumps peeking out above it, belonged to its brain.

"She's incredible, isn't she?" Lucrecia murmured at Vincent's side, interrupting his chain of thoughts. He glanced sideways at her to catch a prideful look, before she turned her attention back to the strange being in the large tank of liquid- which most likely wasn't water.

"What…what did you say you thought it was again?" the Turk asked, frowning slightly.

"We think shes the only survivor of the Cetra race, who lived many millennia ago," the scientist explained, clasping her hands together in front of her. Vincent silently studied the eager expression she was looking up at him with.

"The…Cetra?" he repeated slowly, looking back at Jenova once before returning his gaze to the scientist.

"Yes. The Cetra- or the Ancients- are said to be a deeply spiritual race of people who once lived on this planet," Lucrecia told him, fiddling with the zip of his jacket as she spoke. "It is also said that they could…communicate with the planet and used this gift to help settle the land and guide the flow of the Lifestream,"

"And the Lifestream is…?" the Turk prompted, his troubled expression only tightening.

"The flow of life that circles our planet," the scientist answered, softly. "We are all born from the Lifestream. And when we die, we return to it,"

"Alright," Vincent began hesitantly, letting the new knowledge sink in. "If you think that…Jenova is one of the Cetra, then why are you keeping it- her- trapped in here? And subjecting it to needles and experiments…?" his tone wasn't as harsh as his words, but Lucrecia faltered all the same.

"No, I- it's not like that…we can't let her out until we know for certain what she is and…" Lucrecia trailed off, stepping back and turning away from him; an awkward silence descended upon them like a black cloud.

"Look, don't worry," the Turk sighed and shook his head. "I won't bring it up again. I'll just…wait for you outside. Take your time," before the scientist could reply, he headed back the way they'd come, into the room with the pods.

* * *

Vincent breathed in and out a couple times, quietly willing the tension built up inside his body to release him. To no avail. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, as he started down the steps one at a time, feeling emotionally drained. The Turk wanted- needed- to get out of the place, but something told him that he'd be stuck there for a while. Halfway to the bottom his intuition sparked, stopping him in his tracks. Vincent cast a quick look about him, at the lines of pods. He knew that out of the three scientists, Hojo was the one who spent most of his time at the reactor, so there was no doubt in his mind that the pods were part of one of the beady-eyed professors experiments. If the Turk wanted to get any closer to discovering what Hojo was up to and his motives behind that, this was his best shot. And he wasn't going to pass up such an opportunity; he was a Turk after all. Easily jumping the railing, Vincent walked to the nearest pod and put his face to the port hole. A noise of exclamation died on his lips, as he stared into the pod.

_'What the hell…'_

He hurried to the next one along and swore under his breath when he glimpsed its contents.

_'…Monsters? What the hell's going on here…?'_

The Turk moved onto the next, a lot more reluctant than he'd started out. He halted before looking into it; goose bumps had spread up his arms and he was holding his breath. He didn't know why, but he had the feeling he was going to regret ever coming here once he'd seen the abomination lurking within this one. He looked anyway. And then he understood why his stomach was in knots and his hands were fisted against the cool surface of the pod. It wasn't an abomination. It was Morgan. Vincent's eyelids flew shut, attempting- not for the first time- to block out the truth of reality. He swallowed twice before he reopened his reddish brown eyes and levelled them on his old colleague. The secretary was bare; his wavy, brunette hair was lifted off his shoulders by the unknown liquid he was encased in, just like Jenova. His eyes were closed and his face was slack, as if he were merely sleeping. But the Turk knew that wasn't the case; Morgan's skin was unnaturally pale and his face was shadowed and drawn. Vincent sent a frantic glance around, eyes searching for a way to open the pod. There was nothing but a keyhole, to which the Turk had no key. He slammed his hand down on the pod, in frustration. Pressing his forehead to the window in defeat, he let out a pained groan. It was then that he noticed the tears on both sides of the secretary's torso, which looked like gills, along with the long, sharp talons that had ripped through the nail on each finger of his left hand, and the charred stumps that had grown out of his shoulder blades, as if they were originally supposed to be wings. Vincent stood routed to the spot, trying to hold on to his sanity and unable to pull his gaze away from his lost friend.

_'My…friend? When did I start thinking of him as that…? I barely know him…and now I never will…I guess I should be used to this by now…no. No, this isn't the same. Hojo. Morgan…did Lucrecia…?!'_

"Vincent?"

* * *

A pair of emerald eyes, slit pupils like a lizards and whites that held a green sheen, sliced into the Turk.

"Vincent? Are you okay…?" to his right, Lucrecia's voice became more persistent. The Turk half staggered back from the pod, although his eyes remained caught by the creature residing within it. He refused to think of it as Morgan, because he knew there was nothing left of his friend now; who was once the Directors secretary was nothing more than an empty shell.

"Did you…" Vincent set his jaw and started again. "Did you know about this?" he didn't look at her, but he could feel her unease as if it were tangible.

"Did I know about what?" Lucrecia replied, her tone anything but genuine. "What is it?"

"It's Morgan Price." The Turk stated, finally turning to look the scientist in the eyes. She gasped, a hand flying to her neck.

"That can't be…" the scientist whispered, angling her body away from him and covering her mouth with her hands.

"I take it you know what Hojo's keeping in all these pods then," Vincent said, schooling away the disbelief threatening to break his last ounce of composure.

"Mr. Price must have agreed to help the professor-" Lucrecia began, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than the Turk.

"There is no way Morgan 'volunteered' to play guinea pig, in one of that mans experiments," Vincent told her adamantly, unable to hold back the cold glare that crossed his face. The scientist visibly shrunk inwards, closing her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I don't know! You didn't ask…" Lucrecia shot back, her voice shaking.

"You must have guessed that there was a possibility, Hojo had something to do with Morgan's disappearance," the Turk went on, finding it increasingly hard to keep the heat out of his words. "Or are you saying that you truly believe the rest of Hojo's test subjects _chose_ to participate in his experiments?"

"Of course! How could you think otherwise?" the scientist started down the stairs, the soles of her shoes slapping against the steel. Vincent stayed where he was, with no intention of chasing after her this time.

"Lucrecia, open your eyes!"

"I'm sorry about your friend, but I know the professor will have a reasonable explanation," the scientist spun around to face the Turk when she reached the door, although she failed to maintain eye-contact. "I'm sure that Mr. Price offered-"

"You don't really believe what you're saying…?!" Vincent demanded, exasperation swallowing him whole. "Hojo will stop at nothing to produce the results he wants- he's _killed_ people!"

"S-stop it! That isn't true!" Lucrecia insisted, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. A stifling silence spread out between them.

"You're in denial…" the Turk murmured, exhaling deeply and turning his back on her to face the secretary's prison. "But you can't return to the mansion by yourself," after a long moment of the Turk listening to the scientists sniffles, he swung his legs back over the railing again and made his way down to her. He didn't pause, only walked passed her and out of the reactor. She trailed after him in silence, inviting him to pretend that she wasn't there.

* * *

If Vincent was honest, the journey back from the Mount Nibel reactor was one of the worst hours of his life. But he was a Turk and honesty wasn't their forte. As soon as he stepped foot into Shinra Manor, he left Lucrecia's side without a word. The scientist let him go, she herself, dashing upstairs and to the left, for her room. The Turk closed his bedroom door with more force than was necessary, picked up his table lamp and threw it at the wall. Pieces of pottery and glass cascaded to the floor, but Vincent barely heard it. He sank down onto the end of his bed and held his head in his hands. He could sense the walls closing in around him and he immediately tried to even out his breathing. An image of Morgan, slit pupils and gilled, rose to the forefront of his mind, tormenting him. The Turk curled up on his side, nostrils flared and eyes squeezed shut. He couldn't think straight; the days events were going round and round in his mind, so that everything blurred together, ceasing to make any sense. He wasn't surprised when he began to feel his conscious slipping away, with the chaos attacking his head.

* * *

_"…Vincent…Vincent…" the person in question wearily cracked his eyes, before opening them wide. He was a boy again, tilting his head back so that he could look up at his father's intelligent features. Grimoire Valentine chuckled down at his son, his expression softer than it had been since his wife was alive._

_"…Father?"_

_"Hello, my son," Grimoire said, ruffling the Turks mop of hair. Vincent felt himself smile in relief, as he held his fathers calm gaze. "Everything's getting on top of you, isn't it?" Grimoire chuckled again, in response to his sons perturbed expression._

_"Why does it always have to be this way…?" the Turk whispered, sighing as his legs gave way and his knees hit the hard, wooden slats of the Shinra Manor foyer._

_"Vincent," the Turk lifted his head, slowly. "Will you promise me something?"_

_"I can make a promise, but I can't promise you I'll keep it," Vincent returned, dropping his gaze once more. Grimoire didn't speak, simply waited for his son to inhale through his nose and offer a hopeless nod._

_"Promise me that even when it feels like you are pushing against a brick wall, you will never give up, never give in and never run away." _

_The Turk hesitated only for a moment. "I promise."_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter XVII; Day 55**

* * *

Vincent woke the next morning still fully clothed and with his covers having been kicked off the bed. He rolled onto his back, stifling a groan and rubbed his face roughly with his hands. The events of the previous day came flooding back to him, like a fierce wave continuously, crashing down on him. However he didn't need reminding after the night he'd just had. His thoughts briefly lingered on his father, before he pushed himself up and off the bed, making for his bedroom door and padding through the mansion towards the downstairs bathroom. Locking the door behind him, the Turk peeled off his clothes that clung to his sweat-laced skin, letting them pile on the floor and stepping into the bathtub. When the water blasted from the shower head, it stung the Turk, instantly raising goose bumps up his arms and down his legs and wracking his body with shudders. Despite the numbing temperature of the water, Vincent stayed under it, bracing his hands against the tiled wall and felt relief well up inside as his mind fought against shutting down completely- leaving the Turk incapable of thinking of anything but his current suffering.

* * *

About half an hour later, Vincent sat on the end of his bed, partially dressed in a fresh shirt and boxers and wrapped up in his quilt, waiting for the tremors to still. His hair was dripping wet, dampening the skin of his neck and soaking the collar of his shirt. An apparition had appeared in the corner of his room, lounging in the chair and smirking at him. The Turk kept his gaze fixed on the bedroom door, although he could see the ghost of his lost colleague in his peripheral vision. Fortunately, this Morgan looked nothing like the abomination he had become, at the hands of a deranged scientist. Vincent sighed and fell backwards on his bed, his shadowed, reddish brown eyes wide open and unseeing. However, that was much better than closing them and subjecting himself to the things scored into the backs of his eyelids, which could never be unseen. A weak knock at his door registered belatedly. He stayed motionless, barely blinking. The Turk wasn't sure he could pull himself back up anyway; his bones felt the way he imagined an old mans would- chipped and forever aching.

"…Vincent?" a soft murmur reached his ears, before the face the voice belonged to came into view. A droplet of water ran down his nose and over his mouth. A tang of salt pinched his senses. Lucrecia put an open palm to his forehead, her teeth worrying at her bottom lip. "You're burning up- you must have a fever,"

"What?" the Turk croaked, as the scientist attempted to haul him up and usher him back into bed. Vincent glanced blindly towards the chair where his colleague had been sitting moments before, but there was no one there. He let Lucrecia settle him back into bed, his vision marring at the edges.

"I'll get Professor Gast," the scientist began to move away, but the Turk caught her hand.

"…Stay…please…" he swallowed, trying desperately not to fall unconscious; he didn't want to close his eyes, let alone fall asleep.

"Vincent, you need rest. I'll get you a jug of water," Lucrecia soothed, perching on the bed beside him and stroking his clammy cheek with her free hand. The Turk absently brushed his thumb backwards and forwards over the back of her hand, yesterday all but forgotten. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you…I…I never questioned Professor Hojo- I never would have thought him capable of something so…he even asked me to participate in an experiment…"

"But you didn't…did you?" Vincent just about managed to respond. Lucrecia bowed her head, though not before the Turk had glimpsed the tears collecting in her eyes.

"No." she answered, voice close to a whisper, gaze fixed on her hand that rested on Vincent's chest. "I can see now that…well, let me just say that I've lost a lot of respect for him," the Turk squeezed the scientists hand.

"He isn't worth your time,"

"However, he is still my superior," Lucrecia said, meeting Vincent's gaze. The Turks eyebrows pulled together, but he remained silent a part from his haggard breathing. "Vincent- I don't want us to fight anymore," Lucrecia told him, pressing a gentle kiss to his right temple.

"I know," the Turk nodded, blinking through his dotted vision and feeling a genuine smile grace his face.

"Rest now," the scientist ordered in a mock serious tone, though the concern that had darkened her features didn't lift.

"…Alright…" Vincent breathed reluctantly, even as he continued to fight against his drooping eyelids. "Don't…go…" he added, as he drifted off and the darkness of sleep came up to claim him.

"I won't, I promise,"

* * *

"…wakes up, give him one or two…should reduce his body temperature…"

"Thank you, Professor…"

_Vincent Valentine found himself chained to the bottom of an unknown ocean. Despite the thick, iron shackles holding him down, he felt weightless and although his lungs must have filled up with the murky water by now, his chest rose and fell in an even rhythm._

"…just needs to sweat it out…"

"…I'll stay with him…I'm due a day off as it is…"

_The Turk was aware that he was somewhere in between waking and sleeping, but for the moment he was glad of it; even though he was trapped under water, it had been too long since he had known peace such as this._

"I'm sure you are…tell Professor Hojo?"

"…sure that's not necessary…"

"I agree…shouldn't disturb him…"

_In the distance, a shadowy figure caught the Turks attention. It was too far away for him to determine the gender, let alone identify the person. Even so, for a fleeting moment, Vincent thought it was his mother; an image of her sifted into the forefront of his mind._

_'Mother…?' the Turk attempted to speak, but no words left his tongue. He tried again harder, wilfully trying to see past the water that blurred his sight, without stinging his eyes._

"Oh, Vincent,"

_The Turk froze, listening intently as he gazed at the shadow. _

"I'm here, Vincent. You're going to be fine,"

_Vincent smiled in a way he thought he'd forgotten years ago, relieved by the familiar presence, even if it was only the result of fever-induced delirium._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter XVIII; Day 56**

* * *

When Vincent Valentine woke the next morning, his head was pounding and his mouth was as dry as the desert that surrounded the Gold Saucer. Nevertheless, he felt a lot better than he'd felt since the revelation at the Mount Nibel Reactor. He automatically stretched his arm out across the bed, expecting his hand to come into contact with Lucrecia's warm body, but he was only met with the cool, flat surface of his mattress. He turned his head to the side, squinting slightly through tired eyes as he absently brushed the back of his hand over the empty space. Shifting his gaze, he noticed a full glass of water alongside a folded piece of paper sitting on his bedside table. He vaguely remembered- just about- patching things up with Dr. Crescent, what he assumed was the day before, so it bothered him that she had either slept in her own bed last night or slipped out of his early this morning. After a moment, he heaved himself up, swinging his legs over what had become Lucrecia's side of the bed and massaged his temples. It felt like he had been asleep for weeks and his body was screaming out for nourishment and exercise. Vincent took the piece of paper in his hands and unfolded it, quickly scanning the contents. Her handwriting seemed messier than normal, Vincent thought, which made it harder to make out the words. The affectionate smile that had crept upon the Turks face soon vanished as he read her note. Lucrecia had been called back to Midgar to attend some sort of review of the research herself, Professor Gast and Hojo were working on. Vincent sighed inaudibly, before scrunching up the paper and chugging down the glass of water that had already reached room temperature. His headache eased only a little, but the Turk wasn't paying too much attention to that. Slowly, he smoothed out the now creased note and read through it one more time.

_'She'll be back tomorrow…Hojo stayed behind…?'_

For a minute Vincent struggled to clamp down on thoughts of seeking the decrepit scientist out and giving him a piece of his mind- or his fists. But eventually he stilled himself, opting to take an easy day, doing his rounds but retreating to his bedroom with hopes of an early night of undisturbed sleep.

* * *

However, despite deciding against adding to the conflict between himself and Hojo, that evening as they passed each other in the tunnel beneath Shinra Manor, the latter didn't pass up the opportunity to gloat. It wasn't long before the Turk had the scientist up against the wall by his collar, his right hand itching for Cerberus.

"This is what's going to happen," Vincent told him, his eyes flashing and his voice full of barely concealed rage. "You're going to put Dr. Crescent on another project and you are going to have nothing more to do with her."

"You want me to fire her?" Hojo barked out his usual half-crazed laughter, acting as though he and the Turk were friends having an innocent debate. "Extroadinary. Even I am at a loss as to how you came to the conclusion, that in order to win over the heart of your 'beloved', you should end her career before it has truly started."

"I don't want you to fire her," Vincent replied through gritted teeth, trying to hold on to the remaining ounce of his patience. "I want her moved to another project. And I don't want her working for you." The scientist narrowed his beady eyes as he sneered down at the Turk.

"And do you suppose she will thank you?" Hojo countered, laughing again and eyeing Vincent like he was a bug in his favourite food. "She accepted the offer of working with myself and Professor Gast of her own free will. She did not have a gun to her head; that may be how you Turks get what you want, but we intellectuals do not need to resort to vulgar threats."

"She was just thinking about her career," Vincent began scathingly. "She wasn't going to turn down an offer from a head scientist, but-"

"Exactly! Her career will always come first," the scientist interrupted with a terrible smirk growing on his face. "What reason do you propose I give her then? Well, _boy_?"

"Just say that…she's not suited to it- that she'd be better off working on something else," Vincent answered slowly, not liking the look in the older mans eyes, as if he knew something the Turk didn't.

"And how do you think she will react?" Hojo asked in a condescending tone, as Vincent's eyebrows pulled together. "She will beg me to reconsider, to give her another chance. Dr. Crescent would do anything to prove herself as a worthy asset to the Shinra science department. I doubt she has ever spoken to you of her thesis, has she? The thesis she cannot finish…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" the Turk demanded in frustration, tightening his grip. Hojo burst into more laughter, shaking his head and pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Face it, boy. Lucrecia is the type of person who believes her whole life to be one of failure; she will not give up or do anything that would jeopardise this chance I have given her." the two men glared at each other for a long, tense moment and then Vincent released him, striding away towards the stairs to the mansion and doing his best to block out the manic laughter that followed him down the tunnel. The Turks body visibly shook with the anger he was trying to hold in, as he blindly made his way back to his room, feeling the headache from this morning resurfacing. The worst part of it all was that he knew Hojo was right. Since the day Vincent had arrived it had felt like he was in the midst of a losing battle and he wasn't sure his snippets of happiness with Lucrecia outweighed this constant worry and stress anymore- or even balanced it out. Vincent closed his bedroom door sharply behind him and leant his back against it, inhaling in and out through his mouth, attempting to dispel the violent energy coursing through his veins. He squeezed his eyes shut, picturing Lucrecia's sweet face and wishing tomorrow would come sooner so that he could see her again. But the darker thoughts clouding around his mind wouldn't go away.

_'There's no one but me and him here…I could report him missing and no one would know the truth. Would Shinra even care? They didn't bat an eye at Morgan's disappearance, but then again he wasn't a top-class scientist…I could hide his body in one of those pods- they'd think he'd gone insane and experimented on himself, as sure as he was of his theories…'_

Vincent shook his head once and opened his eyes, unclenching his fists and sighing as if in defeat. He wasn't going to kill Hojo. Not right now anyway, but he couldn't deny it was tempting. Although on the other hand, it seemed like simply killing the mad scientist wouldn't solve anything- the research would continue along with the experiments and Lucrecia would still be involved no matter how much he didn't want her to be. The Turk stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed, feeling exhausted and hoping it would send him straight into deep sleep, bypassing dreamland- or nightmare land in Vincent's case. By morning he would be fully rested up, in time for Dr. Crescent's return.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Hey, just to let you know I HAVEN'T deleted a load of chapters, I've just re-structured them- this is the chapter I uploaded yesterday and I will be uploading a new one later on. I hope you're still enjoying :)**_

* * *

**Chapter XIX; Day 57**

* * *

The Turk studied the scientist's expression as they ate dinner together in the drawing room. He wasn't especially keen on the food their 'servants' had brought up from Nibelheim, but he ate it anyway knowing that he would be chided by Lucrecia if he didn't. Although he wasn't sure she would even notice at the present. Her hair was in a French braid today, resting against her right shoulder and she still had her lab coat on though Vincent didn't mind. However, she was staring into her bowl as if it were a vortex threatening to swallow her.

"Lucrecia?" he murmured softly, in case he startled her out of her reverie. She blinked and looked up at him; for a flicker of a moment, confusion crossed her face and then realisation before what appeared to be either shame or guilt or both. Vincent reached across the table to take her hand in his, gently. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing…" Lucrecia smiled tightly, kissing his knuckles once before taking her hand back; the Turk suppressed a sigh.

"How was Midgar?" Vincent asked, smoothly changing the subject. "I missed you yesterday," he smiled at her wistfully as a blush interrupted her downcast expression.

"I missed you too…" Lucrecia replied barely above a whisper, her blush darkening as Vincent locked her chocolate brown gaze in his. "Midgar was nothing special- I'm glad I'm back, even though it was just a day,"

"I am too. This place is even gloomier when you're not here." The Turk swiftly caught himself from adding that he'd had another 'friendly' encounter with Hojo; he didn't want her to know what he'd all but implored of the middle aged man. He supposed there was a chance Hojo would tell her himself, but somehow he doubted the man remembered such an insignificant occurrence- his head as full as it was of his work, ideas and general intelligence.

"Well then, I hope I don't have to leave you here again," Lucrecia said in a playful tone. "Who knows what you would do without me here to keep you in check," Vincent just about reframed from choking on his wine, quirking his eyebrow up at the scientist.

"Oh really? I never knew I came across as such an untamed animal,"

"I'm afraid so," the scientist said in a grave voice as a smirk grew on the Turks face. She got up then without a word, coming round the table to curl herself into Vincent's lap.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Vincent stated, amusement dancing in his reddish brown eyes as one arm wound around Lucrecia's waist and he lay his left hand on her leg. She leant her head against his chest, her right hand playing with the locks of his dark hair.

"You'd survive," Lucrecia whispered, her voice sounding almost empty. Vincent cupped her cheek and lifted her face so that she had to look at him.

"Maybe, maybe not. But that doesn't matter because I'm never going to leave you. Remember?" he said, his tone firm. The scientist's eyes widened slightly and then she simply smiled, tentatively pressing her lips to his. Vincent welcomed them appreciatively, sucking on her top lip before deepening the kiss so that he could taste and feel her insides- even if it was only her mouth. Heat shot along his cheekbones at his indecent thoughts and he was grateful that Lucrecia's eyes were closed. He pulled away sooner rather than later, not wanting to lose control entirely and end up going too far. Who knew how the scientist would respond if the Turk stopped paying attention for a second and slid his hand up her skirt? Considering that the last time it had happened, she'd pretty much run for the hills, he decided it was better safe than sorry. Although he had to admit, he wasn't certain how much longer he could keep this up. They'd been together for over a month now and since Vincent hadn't exactly been in a relationship like this before, it felt unnatural and extremely difficult to restrain himself from his sexual urges. He wanted to wait for Lucrecia to make the first move in that direction so that he knew she wanted it and was ready for it. But that didn't stop it from becoming increasingly harder to hold himself back, although he credited himself in the fact that there were probably fewer men in Gaia that would have lasted as long as he had. Vincent slowly registered the troubled look that had taken over Lucrecia's previously blissful face.

"Vincent…" she began hesitantly, picking at her cuticles and looking away from the Turks searching eyes. "I probably shouldn't tell you this because you'll only over react but I can barely stand lying to you…"

"What is it?" Vincent prompted, feeling his muscles tense up as the scientist chewed on her bottom lip, still not looking at him.

"I saw Professor Hojo this morning before I came to your room and…" she trailed off, though it was more than enough for Vincent's nose to flare and his jaw to set.

"And what did he want this time?"

"He asked me to…marry him, again…" she said in a small voice, as the Turk began silently seething. Of course he had his suspicions that Hojo had done it as a result of what had transpired the night before and even though Lucrecia would have turned him down yet again, it still succeeded in angering Vincent. "Vincent?" Lucrecia looked worried now, as she caressed his unresponsive face, trying to read what was going on behind his eyes.

"…Just ignore him." The Turk said finally, exhaling through his nose and kissing the scientist lightly on the forehead. "I'm sure he'll get the message eventually," Lucrecia was quiet a moment, breaking eye contact and gradually getting to her feet.

"I…I said I would think about it…" Vincent smothered down the horror those words had evoked within him and carefully masked his expression; she kept her back to him however, walking to stand by the grand piano, putting space between them.

"I don't think I heard you." The Turk told her in a vacant yet forceful tone.

"Vincent…" she murmured, shaking her head and hugging her torso. "It's just for our work-"

"That makes no sense! Why would you need to marry?" Vincent demanded, fast losing his composure. He rose from the table but made no move towards her.

"Because it would be the proper thing to do if I were to…" Lucrecia stopped abruptly; the Turk approached her, but didn't turn her to face him.

"If you were to what?" he asked in a quiet but strained voice. There was a sick feeling in his stomach and a chill ran down his spine. Lucrecia suddenly turned towards him then, gazing up at his badly concealed fear.

"I…" Vincent subconsciously took another step closer to her as she got lost in his eyes. "I…don't know what I was thinking…" she sighed at last, shaking her head as if to clear it.

"What do you-?"

"Forget I mentioned it- I could never marry the Professor. I don't know what came over me, why I would even consider…I must be tired," Vincent was struggling to keep up as Lucrecia smiled self-deprecatingly up at him before turning towards the door.

"Tired…?"

"I'll see you…later on, Vincent," she responded, glancing back at him once, so that he could see the solid resolution etched into her features.

_'She's decided something…but what…?'_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter XX; Day 58**

* * *

The Turk leant nonchalantly back against a wall with his arms folded loosely, next to the only changing cubicle, in the only clothes shop in Nibelheim. He was waiting for Lucrecia to finish trying on clothes and being glared at by a teenage girl who probably wanted to use the cubicle herself, and flushed anytime Vincent caught her eye. Just as he was about to stifle a yawn, Lucrecia peeked through the curtain.

"Vincent?" she whispered, looking positively ill with nerves. He straightened up and moved to where she could see him, his mouth curling into a smirk. "Can I um…have your opinion?"

"Sure," Vincent smiled, stepping back a little to make room; the scientist glanced between the shop keeper and the girl who was pretending she wasn't listening to them. "Aren't you going to come out…?" Lucrecia looked up at him as if he'd said, 'Aren't you going to bury the dead body that's in your basement?'

"Couldn't you come in?" she asked, still whispering and blushing slightly now.

"I don't think I'd-" before the Turk could finish his sentence, the scientist yanked him inside by his suit jacket. He was momentarily surprised by her show of strength as he watched her fiddle with the curtain, making sure it was properly closed. The side of her body was pressed against his and he would have backed up out of politeness had it been possible in their current, cramped conditions. He thought about sitting down on the wooden plank of a bench that was digging into the backs of his legs, but it was completely covered in hangers and clothes. Lucrecia shifted so that she was facing him, her cheeks bright red as she avoided his gaze.

"So? What do you think?" Vincent took a moment to realise what she was referring to, before his eyes travelled across her body, finding it hard to see past her torso. She was wearing a red jumper-dress that hugged her small frame, stopping mid-thigh to expose the creamy white skin of her legs and pulled in at her bust. The Turk swallowed, wanting more than ever to put space between them.

"Well…" Vincent cleared his throat, attempting to form a coherent thought.

"I knew you'd hate it!" the scientist cried under her breath, huffing a bit and reaching for the hem of the dress, meaning to pull it off over her head. Vincent hastily caught her around the wrists before she got very far, his breathing shallow.

"I don't hate it- anything but…" the Turk murmured as calmly as he could, given the thoughts that were racing through his mind. "Though don't you think you should wait until I'm outside to take it off?" Lucrecia looked pleased for a second, before the last thing he'd said registered and she gasped, turning her beetroot coloured face away. The Turk quietly edged out of the cubicle and let out a deep breath, faintly irritated by the blush that had tainted his own features. The teenager from before had obviously given up and left, but there was an elderly couple now openly staring at him in pure disgust.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," the woman scolded him, as he went back to holding up a wall. Despite the fact that he and Lucrecia hadn't actually done anything, Vincent knew he deserved it for what he would have liked to have happened.

"Get over it. Just because ya don't remember what it was like to be young," the shop keeper piped in then, while she flipped through a glossy magazine. The elderly couple muttered something along the lines of her parents would hear about this, before hurrying out of the shop. "But if ya pull any funny business like that again, ya both barred," she informed Vincent, looking him in the eyes before returning to her magazine with a chuckle and a shake of her head.

"What was that about?" Lucrecia asked, appearing at the Turks side.

"You are never taking me shopping again," he replied firmly, wrapping an arm around her and guiding her to the till.

* * *

That night, the Turk and the scientist lay stretched out together on the chaise longue in the drawing room. Lucrecia was lying on top of Vincent, her head resting on his chest over his heart. She closed her eyes letting everything fall away apart from the Turks heartbeat and the feel of his hand running up and down her back. Vincent gazed down at the scientist as he propped his head up on his free arm. He felt a gentle squeeze of his heart, lying there, breathing in Lucrecia's jasmine scent. It wasn't the first time he'd had that sensation- over the past couple of weeks he'd felt it and every time, certain words would bubble to his lips soon afterwards. He hadn't spoken them though, never feeling it was the right time. That and he was a little embarrassed about the whole thing. Lucrecia had pretty much said the three words to him only once and neither one of them had mentioned it since. However, every now and then she would rather randomly lean up and touch her lips to the side of his neck, which Vincent had wondered whether or not was her non-verbal representation of them. Admittedly, the Turk had tried to speak them a few times, but whenever he opened his mouth to do so, some way or another they would get stuck in the back of his throat, forcing him to swallow them back down. As if on cue, Vincent felt the soft texture of Lucrecia's lips on his neck, where they lingered for a couple blinks of an eye, causing his heart to squeeze again.

"…Lucrecia?" the Turk started, his voice sounding deeper and huskier than normal.

"Yes, Vincent?" the scientist breathed happily, lifting herself up and supporting her head with her fist under her chin, so that she could look down at him. Vincent captured her chocolate brown eyes, brushing her bangs out of her face, as a tender smile graced his own.

"I lo-" but before he could say it, Dr. Crescent had silenced him with a kiss.

"I'm sorry," the scientist blurted once she'd pulled back and seen his half-amused, half-perturbed expression. "You were going to say something…"

"Don't worry about it," Vincent sighed as she tucked his dark locks behind his ears.

"Your hair is getting long," Lucrecia commented after a pause of just looking into his red-brown eyes. "I kind of like it…" a rosy blush bloomed on her cheeks as Vincent raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" he said in a deliberate tone, tracing the shape of her mouth with the tip of his finger. "You prefer it longer?"

"It contrasts so nicely with your skin," the scientist answered shyly, kissing the palm of his hand. Vincent chuckled lightly and drew her face down to his again. Their embrace was more passionate this time, the Turk licking into her mouth over and over again before grazing her bottom lip with his teeth. Lucrecia made a noise of surprise, but only returned the favour, dragging Vincent's top lip between her own teeth. The Turk could feel his body starting to hum with anticipation, as the scientist clung to him tighter, gasping against his mouth every so often, while his hands roamed over her body of their own accord. It took all his self control to break away and he was equally pained and exhilarant at Lucrecia's reluctance. But she took the hint and instantly lay her head back down on his chest with a sigh.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter XXI; Day 59**

* * *

"I think I see your mouth twitching…"

"You're not allowed to talk," Lucrecia told the Turk, seeing the smile reflected in his eyes even as his lips stayed in their thin line; they'd been at this for just under fifteen minutes now, lying on their sides and trying to stare each other out. They'd packed some snacks and headed up to what had become 'their' hill, after lunch. Vincent had no qualms about leaving his designated post today, since both Professor Gast and Hojo had returned to Midgar. He briefly wondered whether this meant they were making progress with their research, but he shut out all other thoughts going in that direction and focused on his day with Dr. Crescent. He may have started out determined to expose Hojo's plans, but now that it was clear they were also the plans of President Shinra, there really did seem to be no hope. Vincent's only priority now was to make sure Lucrecia had no physical involvement in the experiments; if he thought about it, it was easy to imagine the kinds of experiments that would be used in creating a genetically enhanced person. So he didn't think about it. And in the end that wasn't incredibly difficult, considering the amount of time he'd spent with the scientist this week- not that the beginning of the week had been good in any sense of the word.

Now, as he stared into her round, chocolate brown eyes, he was impressed by the fact that she still had yet to look away. In normal circumstances it was rare for her to hold his gaze for more than a few seconds at a time, but the Turk wasn't complaining. In actual fact, Vincent was having a harder time keeping a straight face than her, although that was more because he was fighting the automatic urge to kiss her.

"If I keep my eyes open…can I kiss you?" he murmured, liking the blush that warmed her cheeks.

"If you let me win, you can kiss me all you want…" Lucrecia returned, blushing further.

"That's true, but-" just then an ear-splitting shriek went up and both the scientist and the Turk flinched. High in the sky, a valron was circling them and readying itself to dive. Swiftly leaning over Lucrecia and snatching up the strap of his holster, Vincent drew Cerberus and aimed at the flying creature. It shrieked again and went for them; Vincent pulled the trigger, the trio of bullets expertly piercing the valron's chest mid-dive. It reared up, flapping its wings sporadically before falling to the ground in a downwards spiral. The Turk lowered his revolver slowly, eyes flitting about in preparation for any more unwelcome guests. After a moment, he put Cerberus down and turned towards Lucrecia who had instinctively ducked her head, using her arms as a shield. He touched her shoulder, rolling her over to face him. The scientist sat up hesitantly, looking a little wide-eyed as she took in the dead beast ten feet away from them.

"I guess it was a draw…" she said eventually, sounding breathless. It took a minute for Vincent to realise she was talking about the staring contest and then a chuckle burst from his lips as he shook his head at her. Lucrecia beamed up at him, before leaning in and silencing him with a press of her lips.

"Thank you," the Turk smirked when the scientist pulled back.

"My pleasure," Lucrecia replied softly, hiding her face in the side of his neck; he wrapped his arms around her protectively, running his fingers through her long hair. Then he felt her start moving her mouth against the sensitive skin, trailing kisses up and along his jaw.

"Lucrecia…" Vincent murmured so low it was barely audible, as she brushed his lips with her own. He let her push him down into the grass, allowing her to be in control for once. She lay on top of him, her face bright red as he ran his hands up and down her back. They kissed for a long time, sending Vincent further and further into frustration with every second. He pushed her back by her shoulders just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, earning him a mildly reproachful look from the scientist.

"Why do you always do that?" she asked, her forehead creasing as she looked down at him.

"Do what?" he returned patiently, tipping her off him and getting to his feet before he offered her his hand. She ignored it and pulled herself up without his help, gathering up the few things they had brought with them.

"Just when we're…getting somewhere, you push me away or pull away from me…" she told him, turning away in self-conscious embarrassment. "Is it because you…don't want to…?"

"What?" Vincent all but spluttered, incredulous at the ridiculous idea.

"Well, what else am I supposed to think?" Lucrecia continued timidly as they headed down the hill back towards Nibelheim.

"Lucrecia, do you really think that?" the Turk asked, stopping in her path and taking her face in his hands so that she had to look at him. "Do you?"

"…If that wasn't the case, then why haven't you…?" she countered, biting her lip and looking down.

"Why haven't I what?" Vincent demanded, raising his eyebrows.

"You know what I'm talking about," the scientist cried under her breath, still avoiding eye contact; the Turk sighed, resisting the absurd compulsion to laugh.

"How am I supposed to know if you're…ready?" he said slightly defensive, but a small smile graced his lips.

"Oh," was all Lucrecia responded, glancing back up at him, looking surprised as her flush darkened. "Oh…"

"I don't want to force myself on you and have you let me because you don't know how to say no to people…" Vincent explained in a subdued voice, brushing the scientist's brown bangs out of her troubled face.

"I wouldn't let you because of that," she stated earnestly, not even disputing the matter of her being a 'yes' person. "I'd let you because I…want you to…" the Turk felt his heart squeeze as he gazed intensely into her eyes.

"…Okay," Vincent nodded once, sensing his cheekbones heat up faintly as a look passed between them. "I won't ever push you away again."

* * *

_**Note: Next chapter will contain sexual content ;)**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter XXII; Day 60**

* * *

The Turk had returned to his room exhausted the next evening. Dr. Crescent had decided to spend all day in her laboratory because of how much she'd slacked off with Vincent this week, so he'd spent his lengthy breaks from patrolling the mansion grounds training on Mount Nibel. He'd pushed himself to the limit, letting out all his pent up stress and tension and anger on unsuspecting Nibel wolves and zuus- not that they were endangered species, on the contrary, the area seemed to be crawling with them. Vincent wasn't complaining though; he'd never had much to work with back in Midgar.

Now, having just showered, cleansing himself of all the blood, sweat and grime, he lay on his back on his bed in a white t-shirt, joggers and barefoot. His eyes were closed and he absently flexed his fingers before eventually folding his arms behind his head and succumbing to the sleep that his aching muscles were longing for.

* * *

"Vincent, wake up…"

The Turk frowned, still caught in a distant dream. "Ngh…"

"Vincent!" the person in question sleepily cracked his eyes open, his expression clearing as he took in Lucrecia's face. He propped himself up on an elbow, rubbing his eyes.

"You're late tonight," he murmured, giving her a weary smile. "Coming to bed?"

"Umm…" she flushed, picking at her cuticles and glancing away from him. Vincent sat up properly, turning her face towards him with the palm of his hand and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Did something happen…?" the scientist shook her head quickly, laying her hands on his chest and kissing him on the lips. The Turk hummed in appreciation, returning the pressure and deepening the kiss with his tongue. After a moment, Lucrecia pulled back and lifted her vest top over her head, her cheeks reddening further. Vincent immediately saw where this was going, his breath catching at the sight of her ample breasts. Gently, he drew her leg across his lap so that she was straddling him and started sucking on her right nipple, one hand resting on her thigh and the other massaging her left breast. Lucrecia gasped, running her hands through his dark locks and caressing the back of his neck. Vincent paused to take off his t-shirt and fling it to the side, already reaching for the scientist's mouth once again. Her hands wandered over his slender frame, coming to rest against his well-defined abdomen, as he swirled his tongue around her mouth. He rolled so that he was pinning her to the bed, moving his lips to the side of her neck and lightly grazed her skin with his teeth. She was moaning now, raking his back with her blunt nails and her body squirming underneath his, rubbing against him. He was breathing hard as he pulled off her pyjama bottoms before discarding his joggers. Eyes unfocused, he rid the both of them of their underwear, drawing Lucrecia's legs up and settling his lower body between them. She was breathing loudly as he touched her lips with his and ran his hand down her torso, stopping between her thighs. He fingered her entrance a little, feeling how wet she was and liking the way she tilted her head back and bit her lip. He could hardly wait any longer, his throbbing, neglected member digging into her. But he knew he'd have to hold back- he didn't want to hurt her.

"Are you ready?" he murmured, his voice thick with lust; she met his lidded, red-brown gaze, looking feverish but she nodded and tightened her grip on his hips. He guided his penis to her hole and slowly started to push inside. She whimpered, cringing as he stretched her, pressing against her hymen and tearing it.

"Are you in all the way?" she panted, her eyes watering. Vincent shook his head and firmly pushed the rest of him into her. She moaned, closing her eyes as the Turk found it increasingly difficult to restrain himself. He leaned down and kissed her, licking the roof of her mouth and wondering what it would be like to lick into the wet cavern currently encasing his penis. The kiss became more passionate as such thoughts raged through his mind and he instinctively began to move in and out of her. She was gasping and moaning against his mouth as he spread her legs wider, relishing in the sensations coursing through his body, stemming from his manhood.

"Lucrecia…" he sighed into her ear, groaning as he gradually started to pick up the pace. She shuddered under him, fisting one hand in his hair while she clamped the other over her mouth, trying to stifle the embarrassing noises falling from it. Vincent removed her hand and laced their fingers together; their interlocked hands strained against the bed, as he drove his shaft faster into her, listening to her wanton cries.

"V-Vincent!" she screamed suddenly, her eyes flying wide as if in astonishment, her muscles tensing up around his penis and triggering his release.

"My god, _Lucrecia_-!" the Turk arched his back as he painted the walls of the scientist's insides with his cum.

He leant his head on her chest as they waited for their breathing to level out and their heart beats to slow. Lucrecia wrapped her arms around him, stroking his crow black locks. Vincent opened his eyes, the three words once again on the tip of his tongue, taunting him, begging to be said as he weakly lifted himself up on an elbow so that he could look at the woman beneath him. He opened his mouth as he watched the colour growing on her face.

"Vincent…?" she spoke then, distracting him from what he'd been about to say and playing with a few stray strands of his hair.

"Yeah?"

"I love you," Lucrecia whispered, looking up at him with a far away expression. The Turk felt his heart skip and then squeeze as she brought his lips tenderly down on hers. "Will you promise me something? Don't cut your hair," Vincent chuckled, tracing the shape of her mouth with his finger as she smiled up at him.

"What do I get in return?" he inquired with a smirk.

"Me. Though, it's not very much…" the scientist told him, softly.

"I'd disagree with that," he murmured, laying his head back down and pressing a tentative kiss to the side of her neck where he'd bitten her earlier. "Okay, I won't cut my hair,"

"Thank you," Lucrecia breathed, trailing a hand up his spine. "Goodnight, Vincent,"

"Night, Lucrecia."

* * *

_Vincent was dreaming again. Although this time it was a memory rather than a nightmare. He was fourteen, already going through puberty- he'd shot up three feet in the past two months, bringing him to five foot, six inches. But he still had several years to go before he reached his peak at six foot._

_"Vincent, I was so worried," Grimoire Valentine strode towards his son, who stood quietly in the foyer, all messy, shoulder-length hair and a too-big, black hoody._

_"Sorry, Father. It won't happen again," the boy said, his tone flat and his eyes downcast._

_"Where have you been?" his father asked, the worry lines on his forehead deepening._

_"Just walking," he shrugged, his face expressionless as he felt the weight of his fathers eyes trying to read him._

_"But it's your birthday; I had Elizabeth prepare your favourite meal and a cake…" Grimoire sighed, turning to the side and loosely folding his arms._

_"I'm sorry you went to so much trouble," Vincent offered, his voice still vacant as he put his hands in his pockets. His father turned back to him with a frown._

_"That's it? No explanation?" he said in a gentle but firm voice._

_"To be honest, I didn't think you'd be home," the boy replied, looking up at his father; his reddish brown eyes held no malice, only honesty. "I didn't think you'd remember today was my birthday either,"_

_"Vincent, you are my son, my only son," Grimoire told him in his softest tones, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders and smiling sadly down at him. "I would never forget your birthday. Nor that of your mother's. Although, admittedly, it is entirely possible I would forget my own…I know I've been very busy lately, but I was looking forward to spending some quality time with you this evening."_

_"You were?" the boy murmured, glancing down at his feet and briefly reminding his father of his late wife._

_"Yes." Slowly, Vincent returned his father's smile, before following him to the kitchen to reheat the food that had been waiting for him._


	23. Chapter 23

_**-On hiatus until further notice-**_


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